Ace of Hearts - The Tale of Hidan and Kakuzu
by Dunstin
Summary: What if Kakuzu and Hidan had bested their opponents and completed their mission? An idea of how the fearsome Zombie Combo would have survived their defeat and fought their way back to the Akatsuki Hideout with a captured Naruto, while keeping Konoha pursuers off their back. This is a classic- throwback to the two characters. Rating for language (you know who) and heavy violence.
1. Chapter 1- Jashin's Miracle

**Another story of how I imagine specific characters that got killed would have contributed to the story had they survived their actual deaths. Everything that has happened up to Hidan and Kakuzu's defeat is the same/canon; everything after that is my viewpoint of how they would have carried on. **

**Kishimoto owns Naruto and I don't, blah blah. Figured I should do this now so I don't get sued (:**

XXX

**Hidan**

"I have to admit, you pathetic atheist, you've really gotten me angry! I'm gonna have to gut you like a fish, just to appease Lord Jashin!"

Unfazed, his opponent stepped back to admire his handy work. Hidan glared at him, then swiveled his head to observe the shadowy black tendrils that were holding him in place, and again took in the almost decorative hanging explosive tags lining the trees. He had managed to pick himself up from the ground from where he had fallen during their battle, straining against the jutsu. He was slowly combatting it; he now understood that the technique weakened with duration. However, it was still paralyzing him effectively.

_Oh man, this kid has no idea what he's messing with. He just got lucky, that's all. All I have to do is break free of this shit, and I'm in the clear- _"AH! THAT STINGS!"

The boy unfolded his hands from his hand sign, which had caused the black hands to clench painfully where they touched him. The pain was welcoming, yes, but not the sort he enjoyed. It was being done to him by someone else, and therefore not a sacred pain. It was practically blasphemous.

"You're sick, and so is your religion," the boy said to him, turning to face him. "I'll be doing the world a favor by killing you."

Hidan furrowed his eyebrows. "Sick? No, you convoluted nonbeliever, _you're _the one who's sick! You and that one bearded guy, the cash-cow, just a bunch of fools!" He whipped his head to the side. For a moment, the black tendrils holding him in place had slacked as the last few words. He looked back at his captor, saw emotional pain leaving his face. The cogs slowly turned his mind, forming a plan that for once did not involve the brute force of his lord.

"Oh, sorry, is that a soft spot? Surely you didn't actually think he was a good mentor; I mean, I took him out easy as one, two-"

"Shut up, you nutjob," the boy said somewhat calmly. Again, the shadow tendrils holding him in place slackened for a moment, but again reinstated his grip. _Looks like when his emotions run high, it messes with his ability to use this damn jutsu of his. If I can just get him to loosen up a little, I can get him to drop jutsu and just kill him. And the best guess is that his teacher held a spot in his heart -sickening, but useful for me. _He took a plodding step forward, the black hands struggling to contain him. _And let's not forget that he's already weakening._

"Admit it, kid. The longer you use this jutsu, the more feeble... it gets." He clenched the ritual spike in his hand, his anger knotting in the all to familiar strength and desire to kill. "_Isn't that right?!" _He stood in front of the kid as he collapsed to his knees. _Vengeance... is mine. __Vengeance, is for my Lord! _He began to laugh aloud as he gazed upon the despicable person lying at his feet, how it always would be. The nonbelievers would always be at the feet oh his lord, no matter what threats or attacks would be made on him.

The kid gave a last minute attempt to strenghen the shadow justu, but it was to late, Hidan couldn't be stopped. He continued to walk forward, still laughing. "Hate to break it to you, but I can still move!"

It was delightful to see him struggle. "Damnit..."

Hidan smiled down as he raised the ritual spike, which he would plunge straight through the boy's heart. "If only you believed in Jashin, you might have a chance... he could step in and save you right now!" He curled his lip, wanting to make the boy suffer. "It might not be to late to convert though, to change your ways..."

The boy's eyes widened and looked around Hidan, as if he actually could see the light of Jashin for a moment. _But Jashin wouldn't appear to someone about to be sacrificed... then what..._

It clicked in his mind. He opened his mouth and shouted,"_Nah, just kidding, you're dead, kid_-!"

The boy outstretched his hand as his eyes lifted to the left behind his head, and for the smallest of seconds, the justu retreated and vanished-

_Jashin, help me-_

On an impulse, he dropped to the ground, flinging the ritual spike behind him. He touched the ground of his own will, but he heard a sharp _tink _as something struck the ritual spike. There was a great whirling sound all around him, and Hidan thought that Jashin himself was arriving to assist him, coming in all his glory to help.

But no, a quick look up gave him not this realization, but perhaps something equally as wonderful. The boy was giving him a scandalized look. Around them both, the explosive tags were whirling around as black tendrils flurried them about. And then there was his ritual spike, suspended in midair by another claw-like shadow, right above his head where he had been standing a microsecond before. The tags were converging on the spike, blanketing it in paper. It was quite a show, and Hidan had an involuntary shiver as he realized that had he had not had the impulse to drop, he would have been coated in the explosives instead.

He bowed his head to the dirt. _Thank you, Lord Jashin, for saving me, your disciple. _Rage was beginning to course through him again as he looked at the scum that had just tried to kill him. The boy, now completely exhausted, dropped to one knee, breathing heavily. "How... how did you evade my Shadow Pull Jutsu... there's no way you could have seen or felt it coming!"

Hidan picked himself up from the ground, tasting the blood in his mouth. Blood that had been drawn because of this young upstart.

"I already told you... if you believed in Jashin, he would step in to save you. This isn't strategic insight, you fool. I'm not all that intelligent, I know. It wasn't me that made me dodge your attack."

This time, the boy's eyes widened in real shock. "Wha- no, no you're lying-"

He stooped to pick up the ritual spear, rubbed it lovingly in his hands. "It's perfectly true. You know, I'm not one for believing miracles; besides myself, obviously. And judging by how dependent on logic, I doubt you believe in anything spiritual, let alone miraculous."

"The Will of Fire..."

"Garbage. Pure garbage." Hidan paused, looking down with disdain on his defeated opponent. "You weren't deserving of experiencing this miracle. But now that you have, it's imperative I sacrifice you to Lord Jashin. No more messing around."

He raised the spike for one final thrust, the boy's eyes still wide open in disbelief-"

**"Cherry Blossom Impact!"**

A great crushing blow struck Hidan in the ribs, making the woods echo with a resounding _crack_. He went tumbling across the ground, skidding and swearing angrily with each stone or loose branch he picked up.

"Shikamaru!" Two more shinobi had joined the fray, one male and one female, arriving to help the sacrificial offering. Hidan furiously picked himself up from the ground, dusting himself down and rubbing the large bruising forming on the impact spot.

"My Jashin, what does it take to do a decent ritual around here?"

The girl looked up from her wounded comrade to look at him in surprise. "What, he's able to get up from a direct hit? This must be the one with the immortality."

"You're damn right I'm immortal, girl. Now how about you and your friend get out of the way so I can just do the ritual and sacrifice your little nonbeliever friend here."

She held her arms wide, shielding the boy from his view. "No way you're getting Shikamaru."

Her friend, the other boy, also drew up beside her, carrying some sort of coloring book scroll. "Agreed. Your fight is with us, Akatsuki."

_Ah I don't have time for this. _His gaze returned to the suspended ritual spear from the earlier attack. _And I've had a few close shaves today. I can only enjoy so much pain from outside sources. Time to fall back to Kakuzu and just get out here. _He began to back away, retracting the spear and making to tuck it away.

"Where do you think you're going!" The girl was incensed, no doubt angry and seeking revenge. Ordinarily, he liked to see anger in other people. But in this case, it was just an annoying distraction. She threw a trio of shuriken at him, and he whirled the spear in front of him like a propeller. The incoming metal bounced off harmlessly. The boy likewise threw another barrage of kunai. This time he simply took the attack with his body, making a beeline for the trees. He would lose them in the clearing.

_What a waste of a mission, and time. These guys really cannot let go of a single comrade to be sacrificed, can they? Don't they understand I have priorities? _He felt the kunai enter his body, but he ignored it and kept running, unfazed. He had a gut feeling that the two would not pursue him, but rather would tend to their fallen friend. True enough, when he turned back, he saw that both of the reinforcements had stopped back down to help their weakened comrade.

He retracted the ritual spear and stuffed back into his shredded Akatsuki cloak. _But as soon as they've tended to him, they'll running back to help that guy Kakashi and the rest of the intercept squad. Kakuzu is great and all, but even he's got limits. _He grit his teeth together as he saw the forest beginning to thin, and familiar earth and dead trees coming into view. _And these Konoha brats aren't the ones we can normally walk all over. As much as I'd just like to kill them off right now, Kakuzu and I need to get a days rest._

_Then there'll be enough blood spilt to spell Jashin's name for him to see from above!_

**Kakuzu**

_I can't let that thing touch me, or I'm dead._

From across the wasteland, Kakuzu eyed the Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki warily. The amount of chakra being molded into the boy's hand- _a boy!_ \- was enough to send shivers up his spine. It had been a while since he'd seen anything like it.

And in his line of work, it was a true statement.

_It's enough to take away my last two hearts. And that piercing sound... you mine as well be attach a siren to his head, the chakra is so concentrated. _He allowed the writhling grey tendrils of his technique to slide along the ground nervously. His calm demeanor had been spent with his battle with Kakashi and the other brats. He had lost two hearts; an especially rare occurrence since he could not recall the last time he had lost even one.

_And now this blonde boy, the jinchuuriki... with that jutsu..._

Deidara's warning back at the hideout was suddenly very clear. He had tangled with the boy before, and the missing arms and wrecked excuse of a body was enough to make the point believable. Only now was it clear to him.

_Hidan and I were overconfident. We should have realized there was a trap and just avoided this altogether. _He narrowed his eyes. _And now that little idiot's mistakes might end up getting us killed._

**"Wind Style: Rasenshuriken!"**

The jutsu had apparently reached it's peak; the jinchuuriki held it above his head, where it sent air currents around sporadically, making his allies shield their faces. It's power was tremendous; definitely enough to take out the precious hearts of his jutsu.

He stooped to a defensive pose as four bodies of the jinchuuriki ran at him. Three of them were running faster than the last, probably the original, and therefore were the immeadite threat. He dispatched them easily, running one through with the tendrils while the other two were blasted by his Wind and Fire Masks-

_Behind me! _"What? No!" _He snuck around while I was dealing with the clones. _He saw the jinchuuriki running towards him, the strange jutsu now hammering his ears mercilessly. He looked on it with apprehension as it closed in on him-

And just as suddenly, it died. No warning, and to everyone's shock.

Kakuzu blinked. The boy was standing a mere inch from his enhanced body, arm outstretched with the palm open to him. However, the jutsu had vaniashed. _It would seem he's still incompetint with using it. How... unfortunate. _He lashed out, but the prize jumped back. However, Kakuzu lashed out with singular rope-like appendages, and they caught the jinchuuriki flat on his two feet.

"I'll be taking your heart for my collection," Kakuzu rumbled, and began to reel in the boy. _To blazes with taking him alive, we can still seal the Nine-Tails after I've buterched him and the rest of these carriers._

However, in a flurry of action, Kakashi and the other adult shinobi broke into a coordinated attack. While Kakuzu dodged what looked like the First Hokage's kekkai genkai, the Wood Release, Kakashi sliced through his wire, freeing the jinchuuriki from his grasp. With a snarl of frustration, he made to capture them both, but he was forced to dodge another wood style attack from their third shinobi.

_I can't keep this up... I know the boy's attack plan now, but I can't handle this situation. We need to go._

The mission was nothing short of failure. Not only had he lost two of his hearts, but Hidan was gone, probably in another ripped apart state. Kakuzu had great faith in his abilities, but his run with Kakashi had been taxing, and the arrival of fresh reinforcements did not help his tired state, especially when one was a jinchuuriki. The odds were not in their favor; it was time to leave.

_But I can't just walk out of here, I need Hidan for cover._

The boy Naruto was creating his wind style jutsu again, it's piercing sound resounding through the wasteland battlefield again. Much to his surprise, the rest of the attack force was staying back; they were letting the jichuuriki come in alone.

_Big mistake. I know his strategy now. I'll bag the boy, then meet up with Hidan._

The clones came again, and again he slew them with ease. This time, instead of allowing the boy to come at him, he jumped high and flew on top of the jinchuuriki and his jutsu. Just as he suspected, he lost control of the immense attack, and he ran his tendrils through his body. Just like that, it was over.

"It's done," he rumbled. "Now, for the main prize-"

"Kakuzu, behind you!"

_Hidan, right on time. _He lurched forward and left the body behind in seconds, getting clear. A moment later, a terrific explosion engulfed the place he had just been standing. A cocoon of wind chakra was swirling furiously-

_I see. So he tricked me again by having two of these Rasenshurikens, but having the one on the ground be a clone. He jumped above me to strike in my blind spot... clever. _He tilted his head towards Hidan was running towards him, blood-red scythe in hand already. _I might actually have to thank him now. Just what I needed._

The Konoha-nin were looking devastated, no doubt having expected the jinchuuriki's attack to have worked. He allowed himself a smile. "How the tides have turned, Kakashi Hatake," he growled out to the silver-haired jonin. "A shame your star student lasted so shortly." He turned to Hidan, who had finally reached him and was slightly panting. "What kept you?"

"Ah, shut it. You don't look to good either."

"Alright, this is no time for arguing. Grab the jinchuuriki and let's make a retreat."

Hidan looked at him, dumbfounded. "Wow, you're seriously this worked up? To use the r-word?"

"Quiet, Hidan! Just grab the boy!"

Once again, Kakashi and the Wood Style man snapped into action. "Yamato, Formation G!"

"Right! Ino, Choji, get to Naruto and get him out of there!"

Kakuzu snapped his head to his partner. "Get the boy! We're not leaving empty handed! I'll stall them, go-!"

The earth was quaking at his feet. He jumped into the air, just nearly avoiding a massive wooden spike from impaling him. However, from the sides of it, even smaller wooden spikes emerged, homing in on him in midair. A burst of flame ended the assault, leaving the wood to crumble away. However, the _pat pat pat _of footsteps told him that Kakashi was coming in on his left.

_His staminas run out. _"To slow!" He lashed out with the wire, conjoining the thread-like extensions into a sharp needle. They struck the incoming figure, making Kakashi emit a feminine scream of pain-

_No, it's the girl! A diversion and I fell for it-_

He whirled, seeing Kakashi with the infernal Lightning Blade coming in on the other end. He couldn't shift the Masks to retaliate in time-

" I got it!" A sharp, familiar whirling sound rushed by his ear. Hidan's scythe lashed out, aiming for Kakashi's neck. However, the skilled jonin curved his body, enough to avoid the path of the scythe all together. Still, it diverted his attack away from Kakuzu. And this gave him the perfect opening-

**"Fire Style: Hard Intelligent Work!" **A stream of hot fire emitted from his Flame Mask. Kakashi crossed his arms in front of him for what little protection it offered, since he could not move again in midair. The flame struck him in the cross, buffeting him several yards away and burning away the tattered remains of his jonin uniform. His friend, the Wood Release man, backed away, jumping back to assist his seared friend.

_And the girl? _She was sprawled on her back, clutching a gaping wound where Kakuzu had impaled her. He tendrils had moved quickly once they struck her- he knew that at the least he had ripped open her right lung. Her wheezing, hoarse breathing was enough to confirm this. Her overweight companion abandoned his attempt to grab the jinchuuriki from the crater he had created, and instead rushed to her side. "Ino... Ino, hang in there!"

_It's not a fatal wound, as unfortunate as that is. I would've needed more time for that. _He relaxed his body, and slowly, the gray wire extensions retreated back into his body, folding back into place. He resumed the form of a normal human, tough his ragdoll stiches of course took away from that effect. _With fatso tending the girl and the Wood Style man getting Kakashi, that means-_

"I got the kid, let's blow this popsicle stand." Hidan already had his scythe attached to his back, while the bloody heap of the jinchuuriki was flung over his shoulders. Kakuzu was to caught up in the damage done to the boy to reply to Hidan's infuriating remark. _Amazing. That jutsu of his hit him instead of me in the explosion it created. I'd wager he missed the worst of it, but he won't be walking around anytime soon. If ever again. His heart is _definitely _a good replacement._

With everything in order, they ran, aiming for the border. They would need to rest before making the full journey back to the Hideout-

_And I need to collect that 35 million ryo bounty on the Guardian shinobi. We'll pick up his body soon._

When the Konoha-nin had been left far behind to count their wounded, he finally overcame the resistance to say it. "Th...thanks. For helping me out twice back there."

Hidan flashed him a cocky smile, the jinchuuriki's unconscious body rag dolling all over the place. "Hey, just helping out my partner in crime, right? Even if he _is_ a total son of a bitch most of the time-"

"I instantly regret thanking you."

"Oh come on, it's something I could get used to. Even I like words of encouragement every now and then."

"You're like a five-year-old."

"Well, this five-year-old isn't the one that doesn't like going to church!" He laughed insanely at his own joke, making Kakuzu sigh. "We need to recuperate and make a grab for the Guardian's body, the one we killed back at the bounty hunter's office. He's worth to much to ignore and leave behind."

"You actually want to go back? So soon?" It was quite unlike Hidan to sound so hesitant; something had changed during his absence.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Fine. Have it your way. But we're going back for the bounty, like it or not."

Hidan jiggled the body. "And this one?"

"We'll report back to the Leader, but also tell him of a change in plans. I want to take his heart first."

The maniacal smile returned, covering up the subtle change in his demeanor. "Good enough for me. I'll use the corpse for a substitute ritual. A bit of mutilation and vwa-la. Immortality renewed."

"Just don't take an hour like the last one."

"Only if you don't wreck the body getting the heart."

"Deal."

"Deal."


	2. Chapter 2- Hot Stew

**Hidan**

There was an old friend, if you could call him that, of Kakuzu's that lived deep in the forests of the Land of Fire. All his partner had said was: "He'll be a safe place to stay. Don't make eye contact. Let me do the talking."

_Typical. What should I have expected, anyways, not like I'm any good with words. Slicing up and killing people yes, but not words. The Code of Jashin didn't mention talking as a sacred way of murder, so I'll just let Kakuzu do the talking._

The boy, the jinchuuriki who's name was apparently Naruto, moaned lightly on his shoulder. He had been successfully been fed sleeping pills Kakuzu reserved for captured bounties, but he had been visibly resisting the drugs. The kid was fierce for a non believer, and on the inside Hidan felt relieved this was one tailed beast they hadn't had to forcibly bring under.

"How much further, Kakuzu?" he asked. "I really need to get some sacrificing going on soon."

His partner did not reply, but gave him the same cool glare as he had done the past four times he'd been asked. Kakuzu wasn't one for words, especially when it came to his lectures on the beauty of Jashinism. Their journey had therefore been a fairly one-sided conversation, just like every other time. The process repeated itself all to commonly on their missions for Akatsuki. Hidan was the loud aggressive one, of which he was perfectly pleased with, while Kakuzu provided calm and cold strategy. They were a deadly duo, especially since each was virtually impossible to kill.

"You know, I was thinking, you should be a bit more involved and open, Kakuzu," he said off handedly. "I can appreciate you going all monster-mash when you get pissed, but I mean outside of a fight you could be a bit more in tuned, you know?"

Silence. Their footsteps trod along the path. Way behind them, he could hear a trio of travelers walking along the same path.

"I mean, take now for example. You're being dead quiet, when there's no one around. What's up with that, man? Sasori talked, Itachi talks, and you're way cooler than both of them. You have to say something sometime!" Hidan said angrily as his partner continued to ignore him. "Jashin Almighty, you are the most stubborn bastard I've ever known, even more than the Cult Leader before I killed him!"

"Hidan, shut up. We're S-rank missing-nin returning back with a live jinchuuriki, not genin fresh from saving a cat. We may be partners, but we're far from being friends. Just stop talking and let us reach my ally's house professionally."

Hidan shifted the boy to his other shoulder, and the boy smacked noisily against the scythe. "Oh, I get it. Big, tough Kakuzu, to cool to even talk aloud but anything apart from money or a mission. You're lucky we're partners, because my religion states that those selfish like you need to be killed immeaditaly."

"I thought your stupid cult killed anybody anyways."

"Yes, but- wait, how did you know that?"

Kakuzu still didn't turn to face him; he was looking at a shiny kunai knife, ridiculously intent on observing it's gleam. "All you talk about is your cult; no matter how hard I try to ignore you, you just talk so much that eventually I'm forced to memorize things. It's really killing me."

The immortal looked at his counterpart, face slowly breaking out into a wide smile. "Ah ha! So you do listen to me and my rants! Say, you should come to a ceremony sometime, you can be baptized!"

"Don't smile like that, it creeps me out."

He furrowed his brow. "But you aren't even looking at me."

Kakuzu's voice dropped to a rough whisper. "I saw you through the reflection of my kunai knife. By the way, your face is an absolute mess. You're covered in dried blood and dirt."

Hidan tilted his head. "I'll wash my face, but why are you looking at that knife?"

"Those three men behind us have been slowly getting closer. Talk quieter."

With his head tilted, Hidan swiveled his eyes to look behind them. _Damn, Kakuzu's got really sharp hearing. I barely heard these guys when it was quiet. But now they're really up close. Are they one of the squads that's been looking for us?_

"What should we do?" he whispered, hardly moving his lips.

His partner blinked in surprise. "Are you serious? We kill them, of course. Didn't you just say you couldn't wait for a sacrifice?"

He instantly grinned. "Right."

Kakuzu gave a slight nod of his head. "Now."

They broke apart, Kakuzu going left and Hidan going right. In an instant, Naruto's unconscious body was being tossed aside for Hidan to draw his prized weapon. It was out in his hand before the boy's body had even touched the floor.

The scythe was one of his only possessions, and perhaps the only one he cared about. Like his own body, it was the product of heavy experimentation by the Jashinist cult, with various alloys and metals being employed to create the perfect light weight, but yet strongest weapon for kilometers around. The result had been the beautiful red scythe. They had been slightly unwilling to give it to him at first. But after he had proven his skill with it by killing all of the designers, he had thought it was a well deserved prize. It was simply an extension of his body, of the Will of Jashin. With it, he did his god's justice.

On the path behind them, the trio of travelers stood in shock. They held kunai knives in their hands, but Hidan could instantly tell that they were not shinobi. Their cloaks were tattered and dirty, and they wore no headband. _Just common thieves and criminals. Ha, just what the doctor ordered._

"Were you planning on robbing us?" Kakuzu asked lightly.

The one in the middle, evidently their leader, raised his hands in surrender. "Wait, wait, have mercy! I see now that you're shinobi, we'll let you go on your way. We would never harm our betters! All we heard was that there were valuable targets on the road-"

"Valuable?" Kakuzu's eyes glittered. "What do you mean?"

"T-t-the rumor from Konoha is that two high value criminals were on the path trying to leave, with a reward offered for their capture or whereabouts. But they never told us they would be shinobi, w-w-we would never attack shinobi-"

"Ha ha ha, listen to that! Some commoners that actually know their place in the world!" Hidan scoffed. "Kakuzu, can we just kill them?" He ignored the uncontained gasps of fear from the trio of bandits. "Come on, this is the perfect time for a ritual!"

Kakuzu was again being unresponsive. He was looking at the men oddly, studying their frightened expressions, the quivering kunai in their hands. _Oh come onnnnnnnnn. Let's do them already!_

The masked Akatsuki reached into his pocket where he had just placed his kunai earlier. Hidan felt adrenaline going through him, and his fingers tingled on the handle of the scythe. _Here we go!_

A small bundle of paper emerged from Kakuzu's pocket. Silently, he threw it at the man in the middle. In disbelief, the man in the middle caught the wad of ryo. He and his companions and Hidan stared at the money, then they all looked at Kakuzu, as if they had suddenly been thrust into a dream and had just realized they were asleep.

Kakuzu narrowed his eyes. "Get out of here."

Slowly, still lost in reality, the bandits slowly stepped back. Then they scrambled away back down the path, their legs a blur of fear and astonishment.

Hidan slowly clenched his hand around the handle of the scythe until his knuckles were white. "Kakuzu, what the fuck was that! You just let those three go like it was nothing! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"They didn't need to die. If we had killed them, there was a greater chance someone might find the bodies than if the bandits themselves went back to wherever their hideout is and aren't found."

Even Hidan could see through this excuse. "Are you telling me someone is actually going to spend the time looking for three unnamed bandits if we stuffed them away up a tree or something? Kakuzu, what were you thinking, really. We should've just killed them instead of running the risk they'll blab about us to the authorities-"

"Enough, Hidan. It wasn't a necessary action to kill them. Time is money, and it was more profitable to let them go. We no longer have the time for killing randomly, not when it's now clear we're being hunted. End of story."

Hidan recognized the finality of his tone. Grumbling furiously to himself, he sheathed the scythe on his back. _I swear to Jashin, when he steals a heart, he takes on their power _and_ their personalities. Bi-polar bastard. _He hefted the jinchuuriki's body back onto his shoulder and rejoined Kakuzu on the road. "Ready then?"

"Yes. Almost there."

"How much farther-?"

"Shut up."

XXX

**Kakuzu**

The bounty hunter's guild had existed for several years, since the end of the First Shinobi World War, when the feudal lords and Kages had sent the first hirelings out on revenge strikes. He had been around since the very beginning, his lust for money and violence finally met in the best possible way. At first he had worked for his village, Takigakure, with pride in his work. But his failure to kill the First Hokage had led to the village ostracizing him, to which he responded by becoming one of the continent's first missing-nin, by killing the elders and stealing their forbidden jutsu, the Earth Grudge Fear Technique. With it, he was a "pioneer of immortality" as Hidan liked to say it.

_A pioneer there, yes, but in every other way, I am a master._

His bounty hunting experience had put him in touch with several high ranking members of the Hunter's Guild, who all hunters turned their bounties over to for the reward. One such contact was Kurtz, who had been forced to retire after having bringing home to many dead bodies on "wanted alive" hunts. He lived in seclusion in the Konoha wilderness, but he and Kakuzu had remained in contact, enough so that Kakuzu knew their sudden visit would not be strange.

"When Kurtz's cottage was in view, Kakuzu stopped Hidan. "Leave the jinchuuriki here by this tree." Hidan put the boy down, and Kakuzu allowed some of his wirey tendrils to wrap around the boy, several feet of strong gray wrapping around, securing him to the tree. _Best to keep him out of sight, until we have Kurtz's reaction. _"Oh, and remember to let me do the talking, and don't do anything stupid."

"Like what?"

He rubbed his chin mockingly as if he was in deep thought as he cut the wire, leaving Naruto tied firmly to the tree. "Hmm, I think being yourself fits into the category. Just follow me and keep your mouth shut."

Hidan swore under his breath as they began to walk up the lightly sloping hill, upon which the small house rested. Kurtz had chosen to be far from civilization, so as to not draw attention to himself. His letters had grown shorter and weaker in intelligence as time progressed, and Kakuzu could only imagine that being in the wild all alone had not been doing his mental state any good. He had faith that his ally would not go aggressive, but at the same time, it was best if Hidan didn't agitate him.

To his and Hidan's surprise, they saw him tending a small garden to the side of his house. When he saw them, he stood up and went to greet him. He had done a poor shave of his head, and his clothes were equally unclean and wild. When he reached the Akatsuki duo, his voice was incredibly hoarse and rough, though hidden in it, Kakuzu could still hear the original intelligence.

"Kakuzu? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me Kurtz."

"Well I'll be damned. And who's the silver-haired idiot? A new bounty?"

To Hidan's credit, he only bit his lip as a retort. Kakuzu quickly spoke to salvage the situation. "He's my partner, not a bounty. We were hoping we could lodge with you for the night."

Kurtz cocked his head and pointed his gardening tool at Hidan. Kakuzu noted with a sigh that the tool was nothing more than a blunt piece of wood. _He's lost it, being out here for all this time._

"I don't remember you being one to like working with others, Kakuzu. You've gone a bit soft."

"Things change as times go on." _Just like you, _he wanted to say, with some regret in his voice. Yes, he had always hated working with others, including Hidan. He had killed all his previous partners in Akatsuki, and it was Hidan's immortality that had saved him from the same fate. But him and Kurtz had gotten along well enough as to friendly rivals could. It was disappointing to see this was how he had turned out."

The lost Kurtz shrugged his shoulders. "True enough. You and your friend are welcome to stay, then. There's two spare mattresses in the back of the cottage for you to use, as well as some blankets. Cozy up wherever you like."

"We have a boy, a bounty. Any place we can put him?"

"There's a toolshed out back, made out of strong iron. Should be a good container."

Kakuzu nodded his head and reached for the main door, but finally Hidan opened his mouth. "Why are you out here by yourself? Kakuzu told me about how great a killer you were; why'd you stop?"

His hand tightened on the door handle. _I said not to talk, and he asks this of all things?_

There was a steady pause. The cool air rustled excitedly around them, as if it to were eager for an answer.

"Life is a precious thing," Kurtz said at last. "For the hunted, it's such a short thing. There was never been a bounty I couldn't catch; me and a select few others like Kakuzu were virtually untouchable and undefeatable. With power like that, like a judge or a god... it grew difficult to carry on. So I moved out here to avoid the temptation."

Hidan laughed. "Life is precious? That's a good one!"

Kurtz flashed to quickly for Kakuzu to try and divert the blow. The blunt wooden tool broke the skin above Hidan's heart and buried itself in his body. For a moment, Hidan stood stock still as blood ran from the wound, then with his other hand he grabbed Kurtz by the scruff of his scraggy shirt and threw him away. "What the _hell _was that?! Kakuzu you didn't say he'd try to fucking do me in if I made a joke!"

The retired hunter drew back, confused. "What? I never miss."

"I'm immortal! You sure didn't miss, but you can't take me out." Hidan drew out the wooden tool with a sickening squelch, then threw it was disdain to the ground. "Damn that hurts."

_Kurtz seemed to take this in, and reluctantly calmed down. Well, that certainly could've gone better. _"Alright, that's enough Hidan. Go collect the boy and bring him in."

XXX

**Hidan**

Kakuzu sprinkled the spices onto the cool, motionless surface of the pond. The night air was a cold shroud around them, hiding them in its darkness. A fitting setting, for such a dark organization.

The surface rippled, though no air or object touched it. From within the center of the pond, a shape as dark as their surroundings manifested from nothing. Slowly, its features defined themselves, starting with the sharp spiky hair, slight pronunciations of the piercings, and finally the rippled effects of those odd purple eyes.

_"What is there to report?"_

Kakuzu spoke up, as he always did. After Hidan had so atrociously toyed with his wording to annoy the Leader after the first report, it had been decided that he would stay off to the side quietly.

_Not many like to hear me exercising Jashinism, even if it's part of our damn code. Where's the religious freedom in this place!_

"We have the Nine-Tails jinchuuriki in our hands. He's been subdued sufficiently; the mission is a success."

_"Excellent work, Kakuzu and Hidan. Deidara will be pleased to know that the jinchuuriki has been apprehended after the beating he received."_

Hidan snorted. Poor Deidara had arrived back from _his _attempt to capture the Nine-Tails in the worst shape possible: not only missing his partner Sasori, but his two arms. It was a sad testimony that had reminded everyone that the power of the Tailed Beasts was not something to be taken lightly. Deidara had held a personal grudge against this particular jinchuuriki, and had warned Kakuzu and Hidan about the boy's strength.

_I'm gonna wipe that arrogant smirk right off his face. _

"Yes, everything is in order," Kakuzu replied steadily. "However, we've reached a slight snag."

The Leader immediately shifted from content to annoyance. _"What?"_

"We didn't come away clean; we have reason to believe we're being tracked by Konoha-nin: we encountered a trio of robbers on the road that had been told we were trying to leave the country. They've placed a reward on us, and no doubt there are trackers. We cannot return to base with these assumptions."

_"But they are assumptions. These robbers may have simply found you by chance. Did you kill them to cover your tracks?"_

Hidan rolled his eyes as he saw Kakuzu throw him a glance. He knew that look. "Yeah, yeah, they're dead. Don't worry about them anymore." _I still want to know why he spared them, and getting him in trouble with the Leader isn't the way to go about that._

_"Good. Then just return home with the jinchuuriki."_

Kakuzu looked back, this time a different look in his eye apparent, another very familiar one. "Then there is the matter of Asuma Sarutobi."

_"Yes, I heard about your engagement with them, and swift dispatch of the Guardian. Another good job; he was a powerful shinobi that undoubtedly gotten in the way in the future." _The Leader cocked his head, the purple eyes trained on Kakuzu's green ones. _"How is this a problem?"_

"His bounty is 35,000,000 million ryo," Kakuzu said smartly. "If we get him, in addition to monk's bounty, we'll have quite the sum of money. His bounty is very valuable-"

_"It's uncessary," _The Leader said with calm command. _ "Money will not become a thing we need once we have all the jinchuuriki. It helped us in the beginning, but now we are approaching our real goal. When that is met, money will have no use."_

Hidan frowned. Again with the "true objective" business. None of them knew what it was, but it was another thing he was dying to find out. _In good time, it'll probably turn useful for the Cult as well. _

Kakuzu's voice went up an octave, a sign he was displeased. "This is one of the largest bounties in the entire continent, and you want to just blow it off? WHY!?"

_"We cannot risk loosing the Nine-Tails jinchuuriki when he's in our hands. Next to the Eight-Tales, they are the hardest to procure because they still retain ties to their villages. In other words, their villages will be actively trying to reclaim their jinchuuriki. Now that you have one of these prime-security vessels, we cannot allow them to be lost."_

A thick silence mixed in with the night air. Hidan shrugged uncofrtably as he felt the tension between Kakuzu and the Leader mount as their argument continued on. Kakuzu was determined to not let the cash-cow slip through their grip, but the Leader was adamant. Personally, Hidan didn't care. It had been a while since he'd eaten, and the smell of the stew Kurtz had promised was becoming harder and harder to ignore.

When the argument had grown heated enough that the Leader's form was becoming fuzzy with his concentration being so loosened, Hidan finally butted in. "Look, just let us get this Asuma-guy's corpse and cash it in! Think about it: if we take his corpse right from under their noses, it'll be a double smack in their face. Not only will it give us money we need right now, not in the future, you're right, but _now_, but it'll also show the Akatsuki isn't scared of any shinobi village."

The two stopped argueing to listen to him, and when he was done they were looking at him with raised eyebrows. He glared at each of them in turn. "What? I can't say something smart every now and then?"

_"Your argument brings up some valuable points,Hidan,"_ The Leader said after some moments of thinking. _"Very well; secure the jinchuuriki somewhere safe and secure Sarutobi. Once you've collected his bounty, we will gather once more and seal the Nine-Tails long distance."_ He gave them each a cool glance, the purple eyes studying them intently. _"You have a week to meet at these coordinates. If you're not there by that time, I will send Deidara and Tobi to get you."_

Hidan groaned. "Oh yeah, my favorite duo ever." _That blonde loudmouth talks more about his blasted art than I do about Jashinism. How is that even possible? And my Jashin, Tobi… _"Don't worry, we'll be at the location in a week."

_"Good. Then good luck to the duo with you." _The Leader's image flickered once, twice, then vanished. The water surface rumbled as the dark presence suddenly disappeared, but it instantly stilled, until there was just calm blue water.

"Why did you side with me?" Kakuzu questioned. "You never side with me."

He shrugged. "I'm hungry, and I can smell Kurtz's food. Hunger beats delayed argument with the Leader."

Kakuzu glowered at him from behind his mask. "Of course. Not siding with your teammate, but with your stomach. Let's get back to the cottage, then."

"Oh, you filthy hypocrite! You say that now, when I've been trying to talk to you all day to strengthen this partnership?"

Kakuzu shook his head. "Forget I brought it up. Let's just go eat."

_Again, just brushing it off. Self- centered atheist. _"Fine. When you get in a tight spot, don't look to your _teammate _for help then."

"I try not to look at you at all."

"Prick."

"Fanatic."

_That's more I like it._


	3. Chapter 3- Hunted

**Kakuzu**

With the Leader's approval of their plan but the limitation of time at hand, they would need to move quickly. Konoha's military would be mobilizing to find them with every passing moment, and the robbers on the path meant that the entire population would be searching for them as well. In a matter of days, Hidan and himself had become the most wanted men in the continent.

_How ironic, _he thought to himself as they gathered their things together to leave Kurtz's place. _That after all these years of being the hunter, now it is I who is being hunted. The world works in remarkable ways indeed. So many inconsistencies to look over: me joining Akatsuku, my partnering with Hidan, and even Kurtz's change from a warrior to a gardener. _He looked out the window, to where the sun was beginning its ascent to look over the world. _Certain things are meant to happen. _

He could not shake off how close to death he had been when facing the Nine-Tails jinchuuriki. The last attack would have been enough to eradicate his remaining two masks, leaving him defenseless. There was no doubt that he owed Hidan immensely for the whole affair.

_Certain things are meant to happen..._

And then there was Hidan's change. Something minor, he just could not place it. It had started after he had returned from his fight with the black-haired Nara child. And again, after his confrontation with Kurtz. Something was off about his partner.

_But as long as it doesn't affect his ability to fight, it's not my problem it's his._

"Kakuzu, hurry up! You wanted to leave before the sun rose and it's pretty visible!"

"Alright, I'm coming." He tossed the mattresses they had been using off to the side and picked up the sack of food Kurtz had been kind enough to provide for them. From what he had seen on the top of the bag, it was all bread, and half of it was molding, practically inedible. _He doesn't even know the difference between what's good food anymore. _

Kurtz himself was by the door. By his posturing, he had been waiting for Kakuzu to come to the door. His arms were folded, his eyes narrowed.

"Thanks for the use of your home," Kakuzu said gruffly. "We'll be leaving now."

"It was no problem to help out an old friend," Kurtz replied. He tipped his head to the door, then back. "That boy. He's the Nine-Tails jinchuuriki." It wasn't a question, and Kakuzu did not question how he had found out. He had been in the business for a while, but it was Kurtz who had been the best in the hunting industry at identification.

"Yes, it is."

"What do you plan to do with it? There's no market for tailed beasts."

"There is where we're going." Kakuzu put his arm on the door handle and opened it a crack.

Kurtz unfolded his arms and put one hand on the door, shutting it. Kakuzu made no response, but simply looked at his one-time friend with calculating eyes. "What's the matter with you? Why did you come out here, into the wilderness? You were the best in the business, but you threw it all away after the Third War. You would have never stopped another hunter on his mission, either."

Outside, Hidan called out impatiently again. "What the hell is taking so long, this kid is getting heavy!" Neither made a reply. Kurtz put a hand into his cloak and took out a kunai knife. _He's actually serious about this. Whatever bond we had is long gone, because of..._

The monster of the Akatsuki looked at the knife with a crooked smile as he realized it. "You must have heard about the reward from us, then. Seems you haven't really given up on the job after all. Money is still calling you." He raised his arms." What a horrible time to come out of retirement."

To his surprise, Kurtz shook his head. "It's not about the reward, Kakuzu. It was never about money for me. It's about doing what's right."

"You've gone mad. Since when did you have morals?"

With the kunai knife, Kurtz gestured at the red cloud on Kakuzu's robes. "I know that outfit. You're with the Akatsuki, Kakuzu. You're not a bounty hunter anymore, you're a criminal. Hunters _did _have morals, but you never did. You never fitted in with the rest of us. You were always to bloodthirsty, to cruel. When I became like you, I did the right thing and left the Guild." He shook his head, laughing to himself, and Kakuzu drew back in disgust. "But you were always to violent to do that. And look where you've ended up now."

_That's it. _"Get out of the way. We were friends, once. Don't make me kill you."

"Whatever your intentions with the Nine-Tails is, it isn't right," Kurtz stated, almost sadly, much to Kakuzu's incensement. "I've learned to value life, not just treat it as a currency. Just leave the boy-"

"Get out of the way!"

From outside, there was a knock on the door. "Hey, what the hell is going on in there!"

Kakuzu's eyes flickered to the door, trying to remember the code signal they had developed for a breach and clear so as to not alert Kurtz, but it took two seconds for that to be irrelevant. Kurtz dashed forward, his kunai flashing for his left shoulder joint.

For a moment, Kakuzu was nervous. _He knows where to hit me. He's aiming for my weaker side, where my defenses are slightly slower. And if he disables my left shoulder, he knows I can't shift my masks around fast enough to counter any moves he makes on my left side._

But that quickly became unnecessary. Kurtz, for all his determination, had not been practicing his ninjutsu or warrior skills during his self-imposed exile, whereas Kakuzu had. The desperate lunge fell far short, the kunai knife stopping its approach a foot away-

**"Earth Style: Earth Spear!" **

XXX

**Hidan**

He was about to knock again when the entire front of the house exploded. Shards of wood, tile, and earth went everywhere as Kurtz's country dream shattered into nothing. Hidan joined the rubble in it's aerial migration, ailing a good twenty feet from the top of the hill to the bottom in a crash that ordinarily would have broken a human's ribs and snapped their spinal cord. For Hidan, he just swore angrily and picked himself up a moment later.

"Oh come on, couldn't you guys have just hugged it out!"

Grumbling angrily to himself, he put down the limp body of the jinchuuriki and jogged up the hill. He had already gotten a glimpse of what was at the top.

Kakuzu was standing there, staring down at Kurtz. His right arm was reverting back from a dark brown to his usual skin color, the flesh relaxing away from rock-hard covering to pudgy exterior. Blood coated his arm, all the way up to his elbow. Kurtz was spread eagle on the floor of what was once his house. A large hole had punctured his chest, and a pool of blood spread from it, seeping in between the dusty floorboards and into the ground below.

"Well, he's certainly one with nature now," Hidan commented after an awkward silence. "Good job, Kakuzu. I was suspicious about him."

Kakuzu gave him an odd look. "Were you?"

He shrugged. "Not really."

"That's what I thought. Where's the boy?"

"Down the hill."

"Alright, let's go."

_He's all business again. So much for all those great killing puns I was making up. _They trudged back down the hill silently, Hidan freely kicking away loose rubble. "Well, at least he went out with a bang. I can't imagine just being cooped up in some little house getting older and older until you finally just keel over and die. Where's the fun in that, eh? Nah, better to go down fighting." He pumped into his friend's shoulder in friendly fashion. "Or better yet, coated in blood! Oh come on, Kakuzu, lighten up!"

"We were good friends. It's a shame he wanted to stop us."

"Oh, so you didn't kill him just for kicks?"

He was enjoying Kakuzu's reactions now. His partner would lash out at him in anger in a bit, as was per usual, but it was worth it. Kakuzu had been giving him the cold shoulder, even though he had definitely saved his sorry ass twice, with no thanks! _He deserves to get pushed around a bit. Even if he did somewhat do me a favor by killing that Kurtz guy, man he was a bore. I just need to take my mind off of things._

"Shut up, Hidan. He got in the way of the mission, and he knew to much. He had to be taken out." With his other hand, Kakuzu nonchalantly wiped the blood from his other hand. It was a futile move; it only smeared it along his arm and stained the other hand.

"Well, come on now Kakuzu. Admit it, I could hear you yelling through the wall! You killed him in yet another infamous fit of rage, didn't you? Just couldn't suck in all that anger? Well? Is that steam coming out of your ears?"

Kakuzu sucked in a breath, and let it out slowly. "Don't make me regret sowing your head back on after Sarutobi took it off. I could always undo that strap that's holding your entire body together."

Hidan flopped the jinchuuriki to his other shoulder. "Like you would, you're useless without me! I'm the backbone of this duo!"

"You're an idiot who throws himself into any situation without thinking about it. If anything you're a liability most of the time."

Ignoring the insult, Hidan puffed his chest out. "No, I don't throw myself into things blindly. It's the divine will of Jashin guiding me to these choices and actions that bring about victory in his name! His majestic holiness-"

Kakuzu shut his eyes and put his hands over his ears. "Ah, would you shut up about your weird religion for once! It drives me nuts."

"Weird? What do you mean, weird? Kakuzu, that's a sin!"

"Does it look like I care?"

They walked in angry silence again. Their conversations always ended up like this. Hidan would start up the cocky routine, but would not have the intelligence to follow it up. They cooperated well when fighting, of that there was no doubt; their urge to kill was of equal prominence. But outside of that field of combat it was awkward tension, of mutual dislike for the other.

"So how do we retrieve the cash-cow? They'll have buried his body by now, probably within Konohgakure itself. That won't be an easy job to pull with half the entire nation looking for us."

Kakuzu did the casual ignore looking at him- quiet thinking combo. The silence stretched on intolerably, save for the sleepy grunts of the jinchuuriki laying across his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"We can break our way in," his partner mused aloud. "All their shinobi are searching for us outside the village. If we just barge our way in and get out as quickly as possible, we'll be fine."

_But... _Suddenly he wasn't there with Kakuzu and the limp jinchuuriki, but instead he was back at the Grand Ceremony, all those years ago, when he had left his god-forsaken land and joined the Jashinism movement. The wonderful, indescribable, malevolent pain of the ritual as all the experimentations the cult had done for years on end cumulated in him: the Immortal Champion.

And then he had killed every one of them, virtually wiping out the entire cult save for small pockets scattered like lost seeds. So much murder in one night, countless hundreds slain for the sake of their lord, for the ritual to be a success. _So much blood spilled, so much pain. Delightful, enticing pain. Life was just a currency to be spent back then. And now..._

The words of the gone native bounty hunter reached him again. _Life is a precious thing._

_No, life is something to be taken for the sake of Lord Jashin. It is his power that's given me my prestige today! The miracle in the woods, that instinct to duck, it was him! If he says life must be used up like money, then-_

He blinked. _Then I'm no better than Kakuzu. Money- grubbing, self absorbed Kakuzu._

Kakuzu was talking urgently to him, but Hidan kept walking. The memories of old were coming back to him, when he had been a proud member of Yugakure. When things had gone from shinobi village to tourist site, he had left in a trail of blood. He had started out not caring for life; taking it was something that had to be done, he told himself. And when the lure of Jashin had ensnared him, he had joined with open arms. He had been mortal then, knowing in his path of destruction he could very well be killed himself.

But with immortality...

_Endless possibilities for killing. No need to evaluate the situation. It's always been like this; Kakuzu the brains and I the brawns. The ability not to die has made me a priceless coin in the wallet; nothing can match my value. But all these other lives are spent so easily..._

"Hidan! HIDAN!"

_Is it really right to kill without reason?_

"Damnit, DUCK YOU FOOL!"

A sharp pain stung him in the back, and another in his left knee. He stumbled awkwardly with the double impact, spinning on one foot but somehow remaining upright. He snapped out of his disassembled thoughts and became immeaditaly aware that there was two large shuriken piercing his back and leg. the latter expertly tossed so as to not hurt Naruto.

Four jonin-class shinobi barred their path forward. Neither stood out as very interesting, save for the one on the far left. She was not wearing the standard uniform, but a light combat skirt and outfit. Her black hair was sleek and lively; an attractive woman if he'd ever seen one.

But most striking were her eyes. A strange, vibrant red, like nothing he'd ever seen before. Perhaps on a normal day, they would have simply been a wonderful, interesting characteristic. But now, he felt a small chill run up his back. These red eyes were narrowed, full of pain and hate and confusion. They were the eyes of someone in deep mourning, but unable how to express that grief.

"Uh... can we help you?" he said somewhat lamely.

They didn't waste time, these Konoha-nin. The four of them split up, going around him in an encirclement fashion. He gave them a 360 view, and became acutely aware Kakuzu was nowhere to be seen. He was probably preparing an attack plan.

_Then I need to keep them occupied. They probably want the kid, so I'll just play their fears. _Almost lazily, he pulled out the large shuriken protruding from his body with his free hand, tossing them to the ground with their bloody points sticking out among the green grass. Then he drew out a ritual dagger, one he normally reserved for close combat rituals. It was non lethal, designed only to inflict the sweetest of pain to the body, but they Konoha-nin had no way of being to tell. They took quick breaths and steadied themselves into a combat position, to which he responded by throwing up the jinchuuriki's body and holding it in a headlock.

"I'll slit his throat if you bunch try anything," he said happily. "So how about you just move along and pretend none of this happened?"

"Fat chance, Akatsuki." The man in the center left spoke. He looked young, perhaps only in his early twenties.

_Shame that this has to be the day he dies._

The female jonin, the one with the piercing eyes, had begun to sidestep over to his left side, where his left arm was holding the dagger. The mid-morning breeze wafted over them, blowing their hair in its mourning howl. With a raised eyebrow, he saw that her hands were shaking intensely. _So scared of me she can barely control herself._

_But as for the others... _He tensed his fingers around the hilt. _Are they going to call my bluff? _To his ever growing disgruntlement, another one of the jonin also began to sidestep to his other side, so that he would be stuck facing a semi-circle.

"You're the immortal one, aren't you?" said the young jonin again, dragging Hidan's attention away from his moving allies. "The one who killed Asuma Sarutobi?"

"Glad that I have a reputation around here, and it's only been a week!" he called provokingly. Like the Nara boy, these Konoha people seemed to be less coordinated when their emotions were being preyed on. _Psko... pikolog... sykolugikal... ah what the hell, it's mind games, fine. _

"Your lucky you've gotten out of these fights in one piece," the jonin said calmly, unfazed by his joke. "I can assure you that this time, that won't be the case. Especially with your partner having abandoned you."

His grip on the dagger slackened for a moment. "What? No, he's just lying in wait to ambush you." He subconsciously smacked himself in the head. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! I just gave away the attack plan!_

As if the young man could sense his thoughts, he laughed. "Don't worry, you haven't given away anything critical." His attitude shifted from calm to unsettled. "We underestimated you and your partner twice before. You and him have been responsible for two deaths now-"

"Two?"

"Ino Yamanaka died in the hospital from a critical wound in her right lung. She lasted maybe three minutes on the operating table."

Hidan scratched his head, trying to remember. "Ino... Ino... nooooope, doesn't ring a bell!"

"We underestimated you and your partner," the young jonin said again, his voice now tinted with anger. "Your partner is surrounded by four more jonin- it's an eight vs two battle; there's no way either of you are making it out alive."

_Kakuzu is tied up as well? This is starting to look bad. These Leaf shinobi make great sacrifices and all, but they're pretty hard to force down._

"Ino's father is leading the other squad against your partner, for personal revenge," said the female jonin, who had now completed her journey to face his left side, as did the other jonin. Now it was two men in front and the woman on his left and the final one on his right. What was more, the kunoichi's hands had finally stopped shaking, and were now tightly clenched. His eyes flickered between the split group, trying to determine which would attack first so he could block their attack and draw the scythe.

"And like him, I'm here to avenge a fallen loved one at your cruel hands."

Hidan blinked, suddenly confused. "Who are you?"

"I was my lover, and he was all that made my life. His will lives on in the child I bear..." she rubbed her slightly bulging stomach as she said this, "...but his memory is still tainted as long as you and your partner walk this earth. It's time you're finally put into a grave!"

Her clenched hands suddenly came up, and his eyes followed them up, wide with surprise. But there was a whisper of movement on his other side as well, and in the corner of his eye he saw the other sidelong jonin also raising the same clenched fists.

**"Ninja Art: Shadow Wire Wrappings!"**

A thin cord, invisible on the ground, suddenly sneaked it's way around his ankles with a life of it's own. The two side jonin pulled, their hands having been holding on tightly to the cord.

_Damn, I see it now. The female was shaking her hand to release wire stored up her sleeve, while the other man simply held onto the other end. And now this jutsu is going to tie me up in their trap, leaving me trapped in between these two. Now those other two can swoop in-_

Indeed, the young jonin and the remaining central one suddenly lunged forward, crossing the space between them in Hidan in seconds with kunai in their hands. However, he still had a choice to make in that time.

_I can still cut the boy's throat, just to spite them. But then the Leader will be furious... but if they want the boy so bad, they can have him!_

His muscles tensed as with a single arm, he bodily hurled Naruto at his incoming attackers. Not expecting Hidan to give up his hostage so quickly, they stumbled, trying to catch the incoming kid without stabbing him with the kunai in their hands. The result was the two jonin falling, with the junchuuriki's unconscious body landing on them, momentarily pinning them to the ground.

Giving him just five seconds to salvage the situation.

The cord, he noticed, was still sneaking up along his body. It was just like the Nara boy's jutsu, and he quickly realized that this was yet another member of the Jashin-forsaken clan, utilizing one of those shadow jutsu. In a few moments, the cord would be wrapping around his upper torso, and then his arms. If he got restrained, even he wouldn't be moving anytime soon.

_And I can't even feel my legs anymore, let alone move them. It's definitely that damn paralysis justu, I can't break it!_

"You Konoha-nin and your fancy plans!" he shouted at them in frustration. "You think you can just walk all over us because you have some plan or objective to accomplish? Well, so do I, but what's more, I have something even more potent than anything you can unravel!"

"Oh yeah?" said the female kunoichi, her voice dripping with mocking curiosity. "And what's that."

The shadow cord skimmed along his torso and his upper arms, and the two fallen jonin were getting to their feet. His chance for action had passed. Any logistical escape was now long gone.

With a strangled yell, he raised his arms in defiance of the justu, and the cord snapped like tissue paper. The two jonin who had been holding it suddenly stumbled and fell back, their momentum causing them to trip.

"What? How did he do that!" said the fallen male ninja. "Nobody can break through that justu: it paralyzes the target! It's impossible to break free when you can't move- there's just no logic behind it!"

Hidan exhaled a cool breath. With his left hand, he reached behind his back and drew his beloved scythe. He slashed it around in a wide arc, smiling with the feeling of being able to move again.

"Human logic fades in the path of divine reasoning," he said smartly. "For you see, I don't abide by the laws you're used to. I am the Champion of Jashin, the mighty and powerful." He swung the blood-red scythe around gracefully, attracting the gaze of all around. "And now that you've pissed me off, I'm about to pass judgement in his name! LET'S DANCE, YOU NON-BELIEVING SWINE!"


	4. Chapter 4- Kakuzu vs Team Inoichi

XXX

**Kakuzu**

There was precious little time to react with Hidan daydreaming like the idiot he was. He would have to leave the fanatic to his own problems. He took off for the trees, hoping to divide the force of eight jonin in half to even the odds. The ploy worked; four of the Konoha elite took off after him in hot pursuit.

The trees offered no opportunity to hide and recover, especially with the one from the Yamanaka Clan trailing him. He recongized him from the older bounty lists, before civilization had forced loyal and current members of a village off the books. His name was Inoichi Yamanaka, a very prominent member of the Konoha elite and famed worldwide for his skill as a sensory type. Therefore, hiding would be useless if the man could just sense his chakra.

_Killing these fools shouldn't be to much of a problem, but with Inoichi around, things could be diffiuclt. He can sense my attacks, disrupt my jutsu with his mind attacks, or incapacitate me enough for his comrades to open up an attack. _Behind his mask, he felt the old grin of the lust for battle tugging at the voodoo like wire on his mouth. _The Two-Tails and Chiruko were mandatory, and Kakashi and the Nine-Tails were annoying. But with this, _this _will be fun!_

He did the releasing hand seal-

"Watch out, he's releasing his masks!" shouted Inoichi from behind. There was a rush of confirmations, and the quad-squad broke up, distancing themselves from a clustered formation. They weren't taking any chances with him attacking with a big strike.

_So they already know the capabilities of my hearts, and it's safe to assume that they will be their target. I have to act accordingly._

He undid the hand seal, and the masks stilled on his back. He heard a confused mumble from Inoichi. _Good, now that you're off guard, time to make use of that._

Kakuzu stopped on the next tree, focusing his chakra to his feet to steady himself there. The force of the stop crushed the fabrics of the branch and it snapped off like a twig. However, he simply back flipped off it, propelling himself at his pursuers. The four jonin, split up, were largely unaffected by the manuever, save for one that had been directly behind Kakuzu.

"Don't get close to your prey when you don't know everything about him!" When he was right above the jonin's head, he slammed his fist like a piston into his head. The man gave a weak cry and instantly collapsed, the strike having instantly killed him.

The other three instantly retaliated by closing on him in a pincer formation, which would force him to divide his attention between the three and possibly allow an opening in his blind spot.

_Basic strategies like these no longer work on one as old and experienced as I... they mine as well try throwing a rock at me._ _I don't even need to utilize the masks yet._

He adopted a crouched position, his left leg sticking out behind him. When the trio had reached the right position, he picked himself up by one hand, standing vertically upside down. With his other hand, he put his body into a spiral, dancing on his fingertips across the thick tree branch. His left leg swooped around like a windmill, catching each of his attackers and sending them reeling away. To his dismay, they had all managed to curve their bodies to avoid being killed by the strike.

"Do you still want to carry on like this?" he mocked. "This is just a warm-up routine for me!"

The three remaining jonin regrouped, huddled together in close proximity. He watched them, calculating the best way to kill them. The bounty on Inoichi may have been removed, but that didn't mean killing an ex-bounty would be any less satisfying.

Suddenly, the two other shinobi dashed forward, one coming for his left side and another on his right. His eyes flickered between them as each followed up with hand seals. Kakuzu responded by undoing the seal on the masks.

**"Earth Style: Mud Slide Justu!"**

The tree trunk suddenly became slippery and umanageable as a geat current of liquid earth spewed from the mouth of the left shinobi. Kakuzu jumped into the air, trying to regain his composure to activate the masks.

**"Fire Style: Firebomb Barrage Jutsu!"**

A multitude of flaming orbs shot out from the other attacker, shooting out in an impossibly wide range. The shots went carelessly; Kakuzu watched in some alarm as each of the flaming balls struck a tree and exploded, ripping away huge chunks of wood and leaves, setting their surrounding ablaze. And there was one heading right for him, stuck in midair-

He couldn't get the mask around in time to counterattack, but he could still get out of the way. His right arm extended like a jungle vine and latched onto a tree branch high above. Swinging hazardously, he swung forward, avoiding the incoming explosive fire. The fire wielding shinobi attempted to dodge the suddenly approaching ragdoll, but he lacked the ability to dodge in midair.

The Wind Mask swiveled across his body as the thick black entrails began to emerge. **"Wind Style: Pressure Damage!"**

In a blink, the entire short range section of the forest in front of him had been sliced to bits, enormous trees suddenly tipping over in diced pieces. The jonin in front of him, once full body, gave a sickening death gasp from his lungs as his body fell away to the forest floor in four different pieces. His companion gave a strangled yell of dismay, and darted off into the trees again.

**"Hiden Jutsu: Mind Body Disturbance Technique!"**

_That's one of the Yamanaka Clan's secret jutsus! I see now, he used the other two as decoys to make me vulnerable to his own, concentrated attack. Their jutsu requires mass concentration, and I fell right into his ploy. Dammit!_

The sensation was uproarous, it was as if every cell in his mind was being lit ablaze. The Wind Mask shrunk away, as if suddenly shy towards the intruder. Kakuzu fell to one knee on the trunk, his whole body shaking.

_"You took my daughter away from me, Akatsuki. You're the one who killed her."_

"What are you talking about?" Kakuzu said sluggishly aloud. Inoichi's voice was echoing inside his skull, making him feel that was trapped within a single room that had nothing except the presence of his voice.

_"You killed her in the last battle, taking away one of the only things that had meaning to me. Do you have any idea the suffering I have endured with the loss of my daughter?"_

"She was someone that got in the way of our goals; it's just like any other mission you would go on yourself." For some reason, Kakuzu was feeling incredibly uncomfortable with this idea. He had always killed once and been done with that person. Never before had he been confronted with a killing. Never had he been brought face to face with someone close to his hunted. It unsettled him. Even his own defense sounded hollow in his ears.

_"You and your Akatsuki are monsters roaming in human body across our world," _Inoichi echoed, his voice tinted with disgust. _"You care nothing for human life when it means you can accomplish your goal. You do not represent the shinobi world: you represent the evils of terrorism seeded among us."_

Kakuzu felt himself rising to his feet from a will that wasn't his own. On a tree branch farther away, Inoichi was also standing up. He jumped forward, closing the gap between them. Kakuzu stood their motionless, fighting for control, but it was a useless gesture. He was strong willed, but he had been caught off guard and could not gain the upper hand in the fight for control over his mind.

Inoichi stopped on the same branch where Kakuzu idly stood. Slowly and deliberately, the Yamanaka jonin withrew an exceptionally long kunai knife. He held it up for Kakuzu to see. _"Do you know what this is?"_he continued silently yet still aloud.

The masked Akatsuki glowered at him, not giving his enemy the satisfaction of a response.

_"This is a custom-made torture knife that is laced with some of the strongest and incurable poison known to man. I only need to prick your skin and the poison will funnel through you as if your veins were a stream. It will not only further weaken you mentally, but it will also corrode your muscle tissue to the point your body will dissolve from the inside out._" Inoichi traced the torture device across Kakuzu's face as if he were painting him a smile. _"And no amount of hearts or immortality can stop that."_

Kakuzu closed his eyes, thinking. _There's not much I can do in this situation. He has control over my body and he's got this poison right up to me. _He heard the sound of the other remaining jonin arriving as well. _And then there's still the earth-user. I need some way break free of this justu! _

_"This ends now, you and your monsters are finished!"_

The last few words ran through him like an electrical current. _My body can't move-_

His fire mask wriggled on his back.

_-but my "monsters" can._

"LOOK OUT!" shouted the other jonin. Kakuzu heard him jump away, but Inoichi had already begun swinging the coated kunai. Kakuzu could practically smell his desperation to land the blow-

**"Fire Style: Searing Migraine!"**

Inoichi gave a frustrated snarl and jumped into the air, his feet leaving his field of vision as he opened his eyes. His attack only fueled the now raging forest-fire, lighting their surroundings up in a green and orange halo.

Kakuzu followed both of their movements for a moment, then allowed his arms to shoot out like bullets and catch each of them in their attempted escape. His left arm caught the grieving Yamanaka member around the ankle, but the other one-

**"Earth Style: Desert Formation Jutsu!"**

A thick stream of sand and earthen material spewed from the retreating fourth jonin and struck his incoming arm. Ordinarily, he would have been able to swerve away his limb, but his mind was still sluggish from Inoichi's mind jutsu. The sand mixture struck his arm and instantly started to drag him down, the entire jutsu weighing a thousand pounds in force.

_Can't withdraw my arm in time- AGH! _His extended arm dragged him off of the branch he was standing on. The jutsu seemed to be sticking true to its name: the grassy bottom was being replaced by a pale yellow surface, quickly spreading across the entire forest floor.

His other hand was still clutching the helpless Inoichi, dragging him down along with Kakuzu. With a slowly fading strength, Kakuzu bodily tossed him at the other Konoha-nin. Inoichi shouted a word of warning, but the two men still collided in midair, causing them both to free fall.

_Focus! _He lashed his now free left arm again and caught a hold on a lazily protruding tree branch. His descent stopped for an instant, but his momentum did not. The tree branch snapped off, sending him plummeting again.

_If I had the earth mask, I could just harden my body and not take any damage, but now that's no longer an option for me. I can harden my feet and maybe my legs up to my knees, but the shock wave will still severely damage my organs. _He involuntarily smiled to himself, grim thoughts creeping into his mind. _First Kakashi, then the jinchuuriki, and now this. Maybe I _am _getting a little old and slow._

The ground was still rapidly approaching. He sighed to himself and concentrated his chakra again. _Even if that's the case, the fights not out of me yet. I'm not dying today! _

**"Earth Style: Earth Spear!"**

The soles of his feet grew dark brown, as did the bottom half of his leg. _Even if it hurts me, at least it won't kill me. _He felt momentary sympathy for Inoichi and the other jonin. _They were good strategists... they would have made interesting bounties in the future._

He struck the makeshift desert with enormous impact, making the ground quake slightly where he landed. He gave a grunt as he felt his right leg bone snap, and he gave a harsh cough from his lungs as the change in altitude and force of striking the ground caused him to retch slightly.

A moment later, there were two wet crunches as his opponents hit the sand. He stood in place, breathing heavily for a few moments as he collected his thoughts. The effects of Inoichi's jutsu had faded now, just leaving a dull ache in the back of his mind. He began to limp over to his fallen enemies. _They almost had me- those four were an interesting challenge. To late to check if any of the others had any bounties... judging by the fact I didn't recognize any of them, I doubt it anyways. Still, never hurts to check._

The fourth jonin was dead, his body laying awkwardly in a red patch of sand. There was no remarkable feature on his face that connected him to a possible bounty- he was now another memory.

But Inoichi-

The blonde Yamanaka man still had some fight in him. He whirled up onto one knee and threw two kunai at Kakuzu. However, he slipped on the sand, unable to get a footing on the constantly shifting ground. Kakuzu, having seen the sloppy breathing of the body and already knowing his plan, sidestepped painfully to the left. True, there was no bounty on Inoichi- not openly.

_There'll be some high end leader hidden in the dark that'll pay for this man's death. That's how this world works, after all- money both over and under the table. _

Inoichi was clutching his right arm, which was the side he had undoubtedly landed on. He had thought like Kakuzu, to sacrifice a part of their body to live on. They were both at a disadvantage, but Kakuzu already knew he had won. And somehow, he could tell that Inoichi saw that as well.

_Then why doesn't he run?_

The blonde hair whipped about as the wretched man desperately threw a punch with his other arm. A flaming branch arrived from above and struck Inoichi in the back of his head, sending his stumbling forward again. Kakuzu caught the punch with his left, then closed his right into a fist and smashed it against Inoichi's damaged shoulder.

To his surprise, Inoichi didn't even flinch. He swept his left leg under Kakuzu in an attempt to make him trip, but his legs were still hardened. Kakuzu didn't budge, but instead pushed him away with his right leg. _That kick should have at least made him cry out. What's going on?_

"I've blocked out all pain to my mind," Inoichi explained. "My nerves are on fire, but I've allowed my brain to isolate these sparks and holed them up in their production spots. I feel no pain." He stooped into a taijutsu pose, even managing to raise his devastated arm. "I will not allow my daughter's name to remain tainted!"

"She's dead and gone, you fool," Kakuzu retorted sharply, suddenly angry at how long the fight had been going on. _Even Hidan would have finished by now. Well, unless you count that stupid ritual he does. _"Why don't you try to run, to save yourself? Why fight a pointless battle?"

Inoichi smiled at him, infuriating him even more. "You monsters lack emotion and feeling, you'll never understand."

"Those are not tools to being a shinobi. They are wasteful things that I no longer bother with."

"Not tools to a shinobi; tools to being _human._"

Kakuzu laughed hollowly and pointed a thumb at his back. "Do I seem human to you?"

"I pity you. You will always only have yourself and your obsession with money. You will never understand what it means to fight for someone else, or even know kindness."

"Money is what makes this world go round, not love and kindness. A man your age should know that." Kakuzu did not know why he was still talking to this dead man. He clenched his fist and allowed his feet to soften and his fist harden. "Working _only_ for yourself and fighting _only_ for yourself is the _only _way to succeed. Forget others, forget even your daughter. Then you might be able to stand up to me, Inoichi Yamanaka!"

"I will never forget my daughter. You can wallow in your sick thoughts, because they belong only to you. For Ino's memory... is what makes _me_ succeed!" He foolishly charged forward, arm raised to deal dig into Kakuzu's neck and snap it.

With a last swing of his earth-nature arm, Kakuzu struck Inoichi's own neck and broke it. The last jonin crumpled at his feet. The seconds ticked by, and then another flaming branch from the burning forest came down and landed on his corpse, setting it ablaze: nature mourning the brilliant shinobi that had died in its home.

Kakuzu hesitated, considering saving the body for the black market bounties. But in the end, he let the body burn. _He was a good man... let him rest in peace with his daughter. _

He tested his right leg, felt a searing pain run through it. Concentrating, he felt the thick black entrails run through his leg, filling in the ripped muscle and bone. He tested it again, and this time it functioned perfectly.

_Time to collect Hidan and carry on, before reinforcements how up: they'll have definitely noticed the forest fire by now. We need to regroup and recover... again. _He looked down at Inoichi's body again, and his arm stretched almost involuntarily out, to take his heart. _No... no. I can still do without one. Besides... why take away the only thing that had meaning to him?_

XXX

**Please leave a like or favorite or a review if you're enjoying this, just shows that people are enjoying what I write. Because after all, writing is made for the enjoyment of the reader!**

**Also, sorry for the strange gaps in between chapters, things come up and get in the way of writing, as I'm sure you guys know. Now that it's spring break, you can expect hopefully two or three more chapters by the end of it.**

**And on that note, have a great break!**


	5. Chapter 5- Hidan vs Team Kurenai

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**Hidan**

The Konoha-nin we're ripe for the picking for the ritual: energetic and determined. They attacked him with a vengeance, trying desperately to bring him down. The red scythe wove around in a deadly dance, seeking a droplet blood, a sliver of flesh. His opponents swayed in tune to his dance, moving gracefully around the sharp threesome of blades.

"You all can't run forever! Sooner or later I'm going to get a scratch on you, and then you're dead!"

Much to his disappointment, the usual jeers did not undermine his opponents confidence. He brought the scythe around in a furious circle, hoping to cleave it into one of their thighs. With at least one incapacitated, it would mean he would be able to concentrate more on those who could dodge.

In a synchronized movement, they all jumped, the scythe cleaving just under them-

He grinned. "To bad..." The malleable cord of the scythe flinched as he twisted his wrist, and suddenly the scythe veered upwards at an impossibly sharp angle. He heard a gasp run through the line, and the Konoha-nin on he farthest right widened his eyes as the scythe came close to ripping into his thigh-

There was a sharp_ clang _as metal struck metal, and Hidan gave a frustrated snarl. _That woman with the red eyes is fast, she managed to come around to her teammate's defense despite the sudden movement of the scythe. These guys can't just take a hint! _

"We know all about that reaper's tool you have," the woman said tersely as she pressed her kunai knife against the upper blade of the scythe. "Shikamaru's report was very precise. You don't have any tricks we don't know, and there's no way you're escaping this time. Especially now that we've devised a technique to actually take you down."

He looked at her funnily, his head turning to then look at all of them in turn. The corners of his mouth flickered upwards. Then, all at once, he started to laugh insanely, his voice sending birds scattering from their roosts and echoing manically for all to hear.

"I'm sorry, what?" he said when he had finally calmed himself down. "It sounded to me for a minute that you guys actually said you had a way to take me down. What part of being the Champion of Jashin don't you understand?"

To his discomfort, the woman did not seem even remotely unfazed. Her companions, yes, they were losing their confident look and were starting to seem disturbed. But _her... _there was something intent in her. Some hidden will and determination that no amount of his mocking tone and praises of Jashin could shake. Her eyes, so scarlet and pure, seemed to be quivering with a hidden light.

A memory traced in his mind, of the Nara boy back in the forest. _"The Will of Fire..."_

_"Garbage, pure garbage."_

Now, he was seeing it. There were flames in her eyes, igniting her will, to avenge her beloved. Hidan had only loved once; he did not and did not want to understand it. There was no room in Jashinism for love, and his devotion was next to nothing. He had encountered enraged couples and desperate acts of love in his "adventures," but nothing like this almost vivid persona of determination and wanting for vengeance that this woman was expressing.

He shook his head, and with a forceful shove pushed her away. She landed lightly on her feet and with her other hand, took out another kunai knife, dual wielding the sharp pieces of metal. "I don't have anything more to say to you, Akatsuki. This ends, now!" With a flurry of movement, she swung the kunai knives on her fingers like propeller blades.

He readied himself into a combat position and held the scythe in front of him. _Here she comes._

Feet skittered across the coarse dirt on all sides, and he immeaditaly realized his mistake.

To late.

Two wicked kunai ripped into his ribcage, one from the right and one from the left. With a snarl, he backhanded the one on the left, satisfied with a resounding crunch of bone as he broke the cheekbone. The kunai were not very deep, but they had curved tips; removing them straight on forcefully would cause even more damage.

But the attack didn't end there. The shinobi on the right ducked behind the scythe as he swung it around to cleave off his head. To his mounting frustration, again he was to quick and he only trimmed off a few hairs off the top of his head.

The jonin finished a sequence of hand seals. **"Ninja Art: Oil Slick Jutsu- **GAH!"

His timing with the scythe was as close to perfection as one could get, but it was the simple fact that there was a gap in between him actually moving and the scythe reacting. However, his fist lacked the lag of the scythe. It met the bottom jonin's neck and smashed him to the ground, right on top of his foot.

The damage was done, he was slipping on the unstable ground now, However, his foot still raised the broken jonin's body and he smashed his elbow down onto his spine, snapping it easily.

**"Fire Style: Ten Lights Jutsu!"**

Ten dazzling bursts of yellow balls emitted from the mouth of the other Leaf-nin and struck the highly flammable seeping around Hidan's feet. He grunted as he felt intense heat suddenly run up across his body like an electrical current, dousing him completely in flames. He squinted his eyes, blinking out the heat, trying to make out the forms of his enemies.

The woman was coming forward, another one of those curved-tip kunai in her hand. Her path was straight for him; she obviously thought he was to distracted by the fire.

_What a mistake for her. _He reached into his cloak for his ritual spear and pulled it out. He ducked out of the flames, ignoring the bristling burns across his body, as well as the actual flames stuck to his skin where the oil had touched him. His sudden appearence from the flames caused them to spread malevolently, like a demon walking out of the gates of hell. The man from the Nara Clan, who to Hidan's side worry was looking to perform another Shadow Possession Jutsu, gave a shout of alarm and tripped backwards.

"Die, you worthless nonbeliever!" he shouted at him in a rage, the pain being imported from another source slowly increasing his anger level. He plunged the shaft down-

**"Genjutsu: Dark Coffin Burial!"**

He had time to blink at the foerign sounding technique when suddenly the earth ruptured on both sides of him and sandwhiched together, locking him inside a small, coffin-sized box. The spike was knocked clear from his hand, as was the precious scythe. In an instant, he went from warm sunlight to ultimate dark enclosure.

_Well, this is ironic. I'm the last guy that should be in a coffin. _"Hey, what the hell!" he called out to them. "Let me out of here, what is this?" He pressed against the sides his container, getting still more angry, but his heart skipped a beat. _Wasn't this just solid earth a minute ago?_

The boundaries of the coffin were stretching _outward, _like rubber. Yet he could swear that just a moment ago the material had come straight from the rock solid ground.

"What is this!" he shouted again. He could hardly move within the coffin- in fact, it almost felt like it was getting even tighter around him. "Answer me you atheist swine!"

No reply was to be heard- he was given the impression that somehow he was all alone, even though he knew that his opponents would never leave him, not when the women had that look in her eye. The look of vengeance. She would not allow things to progress without him being dead-

_Well, I mine as well be with these conditions. They think they're funny burying the guy that can't die. _"I'm not gonna say it again!' he positively screamed. "Get me out of this fucking box you cowardly..." He choked, and suddenly he was coughing horrendously. His breathing was abruptly getting very labored, and with a start he realized that it was because there was no new oxygen coming into the container or coffin or whatever it was.

"WHAT IS THIS!" he yelled again, working spit into his quickly drying mouth. "ANSWER ME, WHAT DID YOU DO... agh..." He started coughing again, and his lungs gave a painful contraction.

_"This is the end for you, is what it is," _the woman's voice floated around him and yet she was nowehere to be seen. It was like he was in a surround-sound system, but yet he knew that was impossible. _"If we cannot kill you to put you into a grave, then we'll just stuff you into one alive."_

"Get me out of here..." he said hoarsely. "Don't pull this shit on... me..."

_"You're dying from asphyxiation," _the stupid wench said, as if he didn't know. _"You are going to die, and you can't break out of it. The coffin will shrink around you, choking out any air that you haven't already used up. It's material is impossible to tear through; it will adapt to whatever movement you make. As we speak, you're already sinking deep into the ground. Your burial is underway; it's over."_

He worked saliva into his mouth again for a jeering laugh, though it was nowhere near as impressive as he had meant it to be. It came out like air escaping a car tire, a wheezing groan that infuriated him further. "You can't... kill me.. I'm... Jashin's... Champion... I'm immortal, don't you get... it?"

She didn't reply, and he was given the impression that she was drawing out form him, leaving him alone. He struggled furiously, but the coffin responded only by closing tighter around him. He gave an angry howl, and he was alarmed at how faint he sounded. _I've never been in a situation like this... what do I do? Okay, calm down. Getting more pissed is just going to make me use up for oxygen. Okay, okay. Think..._

His breathing grew more labored, his lungs suffered. _Okay... let's think. Solid ground can't turn into rubber like that, not without it being some sort of earth style technique. And I didn't hear or see anything like that, so it's not the case. What was this technique called..._ He thought hard, but it was getting tougher to even string sentences together in his mind. _This whole situation is unreal... genjutsu? Yes, it's genjutsu!_

But even this realization offered little hope. He was practically uneducated in genjutsu, having never bothered to learn any techniques after his joining of the cult, mainly because ninjutsu was classified as an almost other religion; using it wasn't really a sin, but Hidan wasn't taking any chances.

_Genjutsu is broken by stopping chakra flow... but if I do that here, then my body will be unable to fight against the lack of oxygen. Damn it all, where the fuck did Kakuzu go? How is he never here when I'm in a tight spot?_

He thought of the Nine-Tails jinchuuriki, lying off to the side, simply able to be taken and woken up. If they lost him, the Leader would be furious. To much had been invested in this operation, and to involve the rest of Akatsuki in the mission was hazardous; who knew what message it would send to other nations, with the whole terrorist group invading Konoha.

_Damn Kakuzu and his need money lust, it's what got my head chopped off in the first place, and now it's going to cost me my lungs! No, no, calm down. I can't get angry at a time like this..._

Anger had been a useful tool in the past. In every fight, his mindless desire to kill had always driven him to success. The rituals had been amazing to perform, and the teachings of Jashin, with it's stress on hatred and pain, had been equally attractive. Anger was a fine compliment for them both... but here, he could not use it. If he got angry, his mind would clouded up even more. He needed strategy, calm logic, not the bloodthirsty nature of Jashin.

And that frightened him. Jashin was everything. It had offered him the violence he had desired when the fools of Yugakure had turned the nation into a tourist hub. It had offered him a purpose when had possessed nothing. It had taken him in and robed him in power, in immortality.

_Perhaps... Jashin cannot be used for everything. _The thought struck him as grounds for immediate execution, but he let it slip by. He had a mission to accomplish, and a partner who probably needed his help.

_I may not be able to use Jashin's logic for this, but that doesn't mean I can't use it's power. _There had been a technique the cult had used, used on him during the ritual. It was supposed to "open his mind" for the power of Jashin to flow through him. It had indeed done so; the sensation was like nothing he had experienced. It had not actually drawn Jashin into him, more of released the stress on his mind.

_And all genjutsu is is stress on the mind. _With serious struggle, he brought his hand together from the now air-tight coffin, his hands rubbing themselves roughly against the rubbery walls as he forced the hand signs.

**"Curse Technique: Death Mind Awakening!"**

With a feeling like being dunked in icy water, Hidan suddenly collapsed to the hard, rough ground. He landed on his knees in the fetal position, shaking all over, his chest creaking with the sudden change in pressure. He was acutely aware that he was out of the genjutsu, and that his mind was suddenly racing. The conditions of when the techniques had been used in the past and now were very different; this time there had been no preparation. It was giving him a splitting headache, but he knew he was out of whatever spell he had been placed under.

"How did he get out of that, Kurenai!" shouted one of the shinobi, probably the one from the Nara Clan. "We had him immobilized for a few seconds!"

Hidan opened his eyes a fraction, feeling his lungs finally return to a regular rate. _Only a few seconds? Man, genjutsu really works your mind doesn't it, that felt like an hour in that thing. But that means... _he looked to his right. The body of the shinobi he killed was still crumpled there, but a little ways further lied the jinchuuriki as well.

_Then the damage hasn't been done... time for the party._

The scythe and spear were out of reach at the moment; if he was to make use of his surprise, he'd have to use it now.

_Alright, Lord Jashin. Watch me._

He leaped from his weakened position, aiming for the most troublesome one: the Nara clan man. The woman and the other shinobi could deal damage, but it was that one who could immobilize him and _allow _them to do that damage.

The man came up and blocked his swing in the niche of time. Hidan left arm came across in a long swing, and this time he connected with the other's shoulders, making him stumble back. The Nara clan tried to block more attacks, but with his shoulder destabilized, the fight was Hidan's. He delivered another crushing blow by smashing his opponent in the mouth with his elbow, and while he was stunned, grabbed the hapless Nara member by the throat.

"No!" shouted the other male. **"Fire Style: Ten Lights Jutsu!"**

The ten orange balls shot out again, but this time Hidan was ready. He swung his captive's body around effortlessly, using him as a human shield. The ten impossibly bright orbs of fire, clustered together this time, all struck the choking man's back. He gave a strangled sound, a mixed scream and cough, as the orbs drilled into his back. He caught aflame, but the pain itself made the man pass out. Hidan tossed him aside, deciding to let him burn away.

"I don't know how you broke out of the genjutsu," the woman said slowly. "But you won't be able to do it a second time! Tondo, buy me some time!"

"Right!" The man stood in front of her as the woman bowed her head, obviously focusing and redistributing her chakra. She was a straight fighter, she relied on weakening opponents for others to finish them. That meant that when he killed this last one, she would be his for the taking.

The scythe was off to the side; both seemed to realize this and looked to it at the same time. A bead of sweat trickled down the other man's forehead; he was already getting tired.

"Hey, buddy, don't tell me you're getting worn out already," Hidan said conversationally. "There's still a lot more fun to be had!"

They both darted over to the scythe, the man obviously not wanting to see what "fun" he had in mind. He threw a kunai knife at Hidan and it impaled in his leg; he brushed it off like a fly. It was just a small annoyance to be had, nothing more. He outstretched his hand, mere inches away-

They both grasped the handle at the same time, and immediately both begun to tug at it, trying to force control over who wielded it. Like squabbling children, they pried at each other's fingers, trying to make the other relinquish control over the scythe.

_These Konoha-nin sure are persistent, I can hardly believe that this is still going on. _With a grunt, he pulled back on the scythe and let go. The other shinobi, who had applied more strength to retain control, suddenly lurched backward, his momentum carrying him away. Hidan leaped forward and kicked upward, his sandal connecting with the bottom edge of the third scythe blade. The weapon came up and gouged into the final shinobi's throat. The man vainly tried to save himself, yanking out the bloodied blade and dropping it completely as he tried to stem the flow of blood.

Hidan narrowed his eyes. "Just die already." He lashed out with his foot again and this time smashed into his chest. His opponent went sprawling across the ground, leaving behind a fine trail of blood among the dust and grime. After a few moments of thrashing, he went still.

By the that time, however, Hidan had already picked up the scythe and was charging at the woman, whom he remembered had been called Kurenai. She was still standing still, but as he drew near, hey eyes snapped open, staring at him intently.

"To late, honey!" he shouted mirthlessly, and brought the scythe in a great swing, to slash into her side.

**"Genjutsu: Demonic Tree of Illusion!"**

_"Oh you gotta be kidding me!" _He snarled in frustration as Kurenai's form became warped and disfigured, her whole body slowly being wiped away like a stain. Her legs went first, then her thighs, her upper body. Hidan's scythe slashed into thin air, and he glared with frustration and renewed worry at the glowing scarlet irises of his final opponent, the last thing to fade away.

_Alright, at least this time I'm not being tossed into some stupid coffin. Surroundings are still the same; in fact, I still _feel _the same, it's like nothing happened. But where did she go?_

The surroundings suddenly rose a little bit, as if he were suddenly shrinking. He blinked as the ridge of the forest grew taller, and he looked down. _Oh, fuck this._

Enormous tree roots were wrapping around his legs and pulling him into the ground, dragging him below. It was a slow process, but he also noticed he could not feel the tree roots themselves. He swiped at them with the scythe, but the bloodied blade got stuck in the first piece of wood it touched. He tugged at it furiously, but it refused to budge, and he became resigned to losing it again as another large tree root wrapped around the handle and upper blade.

He couldn't feel it, but behind him he could see a large, dark colored trunk rising against his back. No leaves studded the trunk; it was as lifeless as a corpse. Again, he tugged at the roots holding him in place, but he mine as well have spat at at them.

"Alright, you got me again with your stupid genjutsu," he snapped. "Now what?"

"Now, I take your head off of your body." Her steeled voice rose up from above him, and he immediately craned his head to look. The woman was _emerging _from the trunk of the dead tree, her lower body somehow grown into the tree itself. A kunai knife was in her left hand, poised to strike.

He smirked. "This isn't real. You're attack won't actually affect me; I'll be disorientated a moment, but you can't touch me with this."

"Right, because the only the only thing that's real for you is your precious god, right?" Her voice was tinged with anger, and for the first time, Hidan saw that tears were in her eyes. "You don't understand what could be real for someone else, you only care about yourself."

"Hey, that's not true! I mean, I give Kakuzu a pat on the back every week or so."

"You only care about yourself and your god," she said again shakily. "I'll be doing the world a favor by taking you out. And after this, I'm going to wipe out every last member of your cult!"

Hidan laughed. "Oh, you don't have to worry to much about that. I already killed most of them anyway. Jashin's orders."

She froze, barely believing what he was saying. "Your own cult would have itself wiped out? On the whim on your god? You people are more insane than I ever would have thought. Asuma didn't deserve to die at your miserable hands, he deserved a much more honorable death!"

"Oh, that's right, you loved him, didn't you?" Hidan furrowed his brow, suddenly feeling uncomofrtable. From above, he felt a single tear drop into his silvery hair, sending a shiver up his spine. _She can't seriously be crying in the middle of this fight, can she? My Jashin... _"Well... he was... well, he was truthfully just straight garbage, but I'll tell you he was kinda alright?"

"Just shut up!" she said horribly, her tears now flowing freely onto him. "How can you say that, you monster, you killer, like he was just some pig for the slaughter! You make me sick!"

Hidan did not reply. He was looking down, avoiding her gaze and trying to let her tears fall onto his cloak. _Man, I really wish she would just kill me at this point, she really just knows how to take the fun out of killing people. _He sighed aloud, and looked up. "Believe me, I wish you could just kill me. Killing is fulfilling only some of the time, only for a moment. Just a short rush of the thrill, and then afterwards, what is there? Living with the idea of never being to die. I think for myself because I'm the only one that'll always be around." He shook his head again. "Shit like love is temporary, shit like friends are temporary. I don't have time for that when Jashin and I are eternal."

"They're not temporary." He looked up, surprised she had even bothered to reply. He knew she could not kill him, but he did know she could still decapitate him. He wondered if she even had the guts to do it. "Those emotions and bonds may be temporary for you, but not for us. How can you be so selfish and take those temporary bonds away from those that are temporary ourselves? They are real and forever to _us, _and they could be real to you if you tried to understand that." In the corner of his eye, he saw her shakily raise the kunai as her eyes continued to shed. "But... now it's to late for you. You're finished!"

He gave a final sigh, deciding he was fed up with this conversation. "No, I'm not. The only thing that's about to finish is you and this fight."

The kunai plunged down, and at the last second Hidan tilted his head to the left. Even though the genjutsu was under he control, her emotional state had loosened her grasp in manipulating the scene. The kunai struck the trunk of the tree, and Hidan reached up and grabbed her arm. With a mighty tug, he bodily pulled her out of the tree trunk. When her feet had emerged from the decaying wood, the entire thing collapsed and faded. Hidan stumbled as the world suddenly rightened itself and the landscape adjusted to it's actual height.

"This fight is over." He took out his second ritual spear from within his robe and clicked it, making it extend to it's full capacity. The lover of Asuma Sarutobi picked herself up off the ground and lunged with her kunai, but he knocked it out of her trembling hands easily. He caught her other raised hand with his own and held her in place. She struggled fruitlessly, her hair becoming a tangled mess as she wept.

"I'm sorry... Asuma..." she whispered to herself despairingly. "I'll see you... in the next life."

The spear came down. Her body fell at his feet, but not of an impalement strike. The crack of the metal spear on her head sent her blacking out onto the rough ground, but it was not a death blow.

"Bonds can be made, huh..." He retracted the spear and stuffed it back inside. He looked to the forest and listened hard. Someone was coming, thick and heavy. Kakuzu for sure. "Then I won't cut this bond, this one time. Instead, maybe I'll try making one myself."

XXX

**I'm sorry that I barely produced one chapter over spring break guys, but I got caught up in other ways to enjoy my time off. More will be produced steadily, don't worry.**

**But there's also another reason for a lack of production: this story will now will be a collaboration between me and hammerQueen, someone who shares a love for writing and wants to see Kakuzu and Hidan done justice like myself. The next chapter will be hers, and we'll trade on and off until the story draws to an end. All the chapters will be a product of our combined brainstorming, so get ready for this to get even better!  
**

**And as always, if you liked the story, throw in a favorite or follow, or if you want to compliment or give us some pointers, a review too. Have a good day!**


	6. Chapter 6- Currency

**Kakuzu**

For the rest of the day they laid in an unfathomable cave, recovering. _It's ridiculous, _he thought to himself, _that such powerful shinobi like ourselves are pushed to such ends. And against such desperate opponents as well. These Leaf shinobi are persistent to say the least._

With a grunt, he stiched the last wound on Hidan's back. He had received severe burns that had split the skin, and if he were the average human with limitations, it would be a life or death battle against infection. But in a matter of hours, the burns had receded to simple red welts, the equivalent of a nasty sunburn. The elixirs that had birthed the immortality jutsu had of course brought along rapid regenerative powers. In all sense, his partner had indeed reached what many had coveted for so long.

_And I the pioneer... _He looked over at the two bodies he had taken from his fight. The mutilated corpse of the earth style user was in the back of the cave, as was one of the fire release users. He could feel the two new masks readjusting on his back as their hearts slowly began to grow in sync with his original three.

_I already have a fire release heart, but another can't hurt. It only means double the intensity of the flames. _He flexed his arms and did a hand sign. His assumption was correct; with the reinstatement of an earth release user, his whole body was hardening under the Earth Spear jutsu once more. He could again resist almost any attack.

_Maybe Kisame did have something going with that Zombie Combo perk... two unkillable opponents. Any single shinobi alive couldn't even handle one of us._

Hidan got up from the last stitch and gave a loud yawn. "Well, thanks for that buddy. Tonight I won't even swear at you; it's breaking customs, but for you, Jashin won't mind."

"You've been getting more lenient about letting that stuff stretch," Kakuzu commented loftily, leaning back against a blanket. He remembered all their supplies had been from Kurtz, and he had a small twingle of guilt that was quickly shrugged off. "Slowly breaking away from being a fanatic I see."

Hidan's eyes widened as if he had just been slapped, but Kakuzu could see that they were like mirrors; he could not see what his partner was really thinking. "Not at all! Jashin is the only important thing in the universe, Kakuzu, That's like me saying that you've started to get bored with money."

He waved a hand nonchalantly. "It's not the same. Come on, why such a look? You said you always wanted to have a casual conversation outside of 'work'; so here it is! Let's talk."

"I'm not becoming lax about my worship." _The eyes again. _"Stop looking at me like that!"

"You're lying," Kakuzu said smoothly. "But let's skip that for now; why didn't you kill the woman back there, the one bearing Sarutobi's child?"

His partner's face grew red as he sat down roughly across from his partner. "I'm not going to kill a pregnant woman, that's disgusting! My Jashin, Kakuzu, don't tell me you would? Why, just the thought-"

"Don't change turn this around. You've done worse, let's not forget the Kagridge Village Massacre. You're going soft and starting to back off from those traditions and customs you were always so zealous about. If you're starting to lose your instinct to kill-"

"I'm not-!"

"Then you need to reevaluate your purpose," he finished gruffly. "We're each born with a purpose in life, an unshakable vow to do something. For me, it's to hunt those who walk this earth that have wronged their village, and to kill whoever may be protecting them." He swept his left arm in front of him horizontally. "And if I need a heart, then they go to. Now _you_\- you're just a killing machine. I hate your stupid cock and bull religion, but it's what gives you drive and purpose, and it's what you were meant to follow. You were meant to be strong and you became strong. Those are weak will remain weak, it's how life is meant to be. I hunt to fulfill my purpose,and you kill for yours. That's all there is."

The silver haired Akatsuki closed his eyes and exhaled. "You really thought I was going to be a killer from the day I was born?"

"Everyone has a purpose-"

"I didn't join Jashin first thing," Hidan cut in. "When Yukigakure went downhill and lost the way of a shinobi, I needed a way to keep going, to fill the void of no fighting." He looked up at Kakuzu. "Doesn't mean I was going to join up with the Jashinists."

He shrugged in reply. "You were destined to be a killer. You're just going through a phase where you're losing that instinct to kill. It'll come back when we invade the Leaf Village. But maybe that's not the answer; why didn't you kill the woman?"

"There wasn't any need to?"

Kakuzu leaned forward. "What? You did not just say that."

"What?"

He gave a throaty laugh. "The man who slaughtered his neighbors because he was upset, slew his own cult for no reason, performs murder when he's bored, killed three hundred people in the Kagridge Village Massacre in a _sleep walk_, just said there wasn't any need to kill a single woman? Are you out of your mind?"

Hidan brow furrowed with each example. "I just didn't feel like killing her, alright! Shut up already and let's catch some shut eye."

"You're getting soft," Kakuzu prodded, enjoying himself immensely. "Toughen up."

Hidan threw a rock at Kakuzu, but it simple cracked and fell away against his hardened skin. Frustrated, Hidan stood up and began to pace around the cave, digging into a piece of slightly molded bread; another gift from the late Kurtz. Kakuzu looked at the bread, feeling another pang of worthless guilt.

"And what about you and killing Kurtz, huh?" Hidan intoned, his voice with an edge. "The guy was just trying to do what he thought was right. Hell, I know we're the bad guys. We've killed enough people for that to be clear as the Code of Jashin. Say, even more, you didn't even expect him to be out there! You thought he would be a hunter his whole life! And look at him in the end, some retired geezer gardening some fucking plums!"

_That _got a rise out of Kakuzu. "I killed him because he was in the way. There's nothing else important in that."

"Nothing else important? That man was going to be a hunter his whole life, that was his _purpose_\- until he changed. Not everyone is destined to be one thing; sorry to disappoint, Socrates."

"His purpose was to retire someday," Kakuzu replied hazily. _But what if... no, it has to be. You can't change your destiny. If we were made to be strong, then we were strong. And if you were weak, you would be weak. But then, how did Kurtz become to weak and swayed? How could he have changed so drastically? It's impossible._

"Get your heads out of the clouds, Kakuzu," Hidan said snidely. "I'm not smart, I know. But even I can see you're planning is flawed. Death is a necessity, people need to die in this world. One day, you'll probably die, and somehow I can see me going out. Itachi, Diedara, even the Leader, all of us are going to die. That's the only thing permanent in us, not our purpose." He stopped pacing and stood still, staring out at the entrance of the cave. Kakuzu followed and saw that the first drops of a sudden rainstorm were starting to fall.

"Dying is a necessity," Hidan continued slowly. "But killing... maybe it's not."

Almost immediately, a huge crack of lightning sounded like a cannon blast, making both of them flinch. Off to the side, near the two dead bodies, the jinchuuriki gave a loud snore and mumbled something in his forced sleep.

"I mustn't angered Jashin," Hidan said quietly to himself, but in the echoing cave Kakuzu heard him. "Killing isn't a necessity for normal people, but for people like us, it must be. We're not normal people. We've gone beyond that." When he turned back to face Kakuzu, he was looking like his old cocky self, and he knew that their conversation was over.

_Killing isn't a neccessity for normal people... but he's right, we're not normal. We must kill to advance and succeed. That is all there is._

"I'll give the kid more sleeping pills," Hidan said. He strolled over and did the deed while Kakuzu watched. The bag from which the pills were taken was getting close to empty; only three days worth more. When they ran out, things would get problematic in controlling the boy. The beast inside him would be calm as long as the boy was, according to Deidara's encounter.

_The Two-Tails was troublesome enough. We were lucky to capture the boy in the middle of his clumsy maneuver instead of the Nine-Tails itself. The prospect of that, something the First Hokage could barely contain, is menacing indeed._

"How are we supposed to get into the village anyways?" Hidan called from beside the boy. "This is all under the assumption they're busy looking for us outside of the village, with their defenses spread. Doesn't mean the village is gonna be unguarded, right?"

"They can't stop us."

Hidan came over and stretched out his arm. "See this?"

He looked. It was where the burn marks were receding, but on closer inspection he saw something else. Beneath the skin, there was a black tinge. "What is it?"

"Since I haven't had the chance to do a ritual in the past few days, the blessing is starting to... distort."

Kakuzu blinked, unsure of what he was hearing. "Distort? You mean it's fading?"

"The ritual is an offering to Jashin, and Jashin is the one who supplements my immortality. If he becomes displeased-"

"Jashin isn't real, you idiot-"

"If he becomes displeased," Hidan continued with an edge, "Then... I might actually be at risk."

Kakuzu stretched his legs out and grunted as he felt the new masks squirm uncomfortably on his back. "So that's why you're so devoted to those stupid rituals of yours... why haven't you just done one! This is ridiculous!"

"Why didn't you get new hearts until now?" his partner countered harshly, flashing that annoying smile of his. Kakuzu could feel his violent temper starting to rise again. "Now you're incompetent as well; we're both handicapped. We can't barge into the place without probably getting killed."

"You can't be serious," Kakuzu said angrily. "We've taken out whole villages before-"

"Not one of the Five Great Nations," Hidan replied insipidly. "Even with Jashin by my side, it's too risky. Especially now that we're not at peak efficiency."

If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was being made out to be weak. He was Kakuzu: powerful, the one who fought the First Hokage, slayer of jinchuuriki and shinobi, a hunter of the shadows. And this upstart religious fanatic was telling _him _what he could and could not accomplish?

_The very thought-_

The rain was falling so hard outside now that he could almost not hear the connection of his fist hitting Hidan in the face. His partner spun around on his feet, dazed for a moment, before falling on his rump. He had not removed the Earth Spear jutsu that hardened his flesh, making the strike twice as powerful. It should've killed a normal man, but as Hidan had said before, they were far from normal.

"Jashin fucking Christ!" Hidan shouted as he spat out a mouthful of blood. "What was that for!" He raised a hand to feel his cheekbone where he had been hit. His eyes widened, and Kakuzu looked away from his bloody fist to his partners face. His face was red and tinged black. With a start, he realized that Hidan was actually in pain:real, unwanted pain.

_This is worse than I thought he was letting on._

Hidan rubbed his face and looked away. For a while, there was just the rain and the snores of the jinchuuriki in the cave, and Kakuzu felt that same, annoying, pestering emotion! Guilt, something he had not felt for sch a long time, it was like an old wound being reopened.

_Even killers have their soft spots._

"Maybe I was a fool for trying to actually make friends with you," Hidan said at last. "We are criminals after all, the bad guys. We're good at killing and that's all there is. We only get along when we're fighting. Besides, Jashin praises violence, not friendship. Let's keep it to business partners... it's the only way we can function. Killing is what we're good at and that's what we'll stick to."

"Yeah..."

_"I'm glad you two can finally agree on something," _said a familiar voice irritably from the mouth of the cave.

XXX

**Hidan**

_"You two have caused enough of a ruckus in Konoha that the rest of the nations have started growing queasy," _the Leader said in that flat, static tone of his whenever he used this jutsu of his. His form was manifesting from a puddle that had been created by the absurd rainfall outside. His purple rimmed eyes glazed over them both with unmasked impatience. _"And you're both wounded quite severely it seems. I trusted you to get this mission done quickly and I fine you cowering in a cave."_

"Complications arose," Hidan bit out, still unnerved by the talk he and Kakuzu had just had. "We were just planning how best to infiltrate the Leaf Village. You know, until you interrupted us-"

_"I've had enough delays," _the Leader replied calmly. _"The extended capture of the Nine-Tails has allowed the Kages to realize that some of their own jinchuuriki have gone missing as well, and pinned us the suspects. Your errors have cost us the support we had originally wielded."_

"How did you find us here?" Kakuzu asked imperiously.

_"Zetsu. He has tracking spores on all of you so I can find you whenever I need to. He is a useful spy, as you well know."_

_That stupid ass plant found us?_ "Well, what was it that you wanted to tell us?" he said instead.

_"You're being pulled from this mission. Forget Sarutobi and just return to base with the Nine Tails. The longer you remain out there, the more time it gives the Five Nations to decide to act and join Konoha in it's war against us."_

"No way we're turning back now," Hidan said flatly. "We've come to far to just turn around with our tails between our legs. And we need that bounty money-"

_"You _want _the bounty money, _the Leader corrected. _"It's an obsession of Kakuzu's that you're using as an excuse to do more killing. There will be plenty of that in the long run. Return to base with the jinchuuriki tomorrow. Or I can simply send Source I to collect all three of you." _The image of the Leader faded out as his eyes closed, leaving the two of them with the rain for company.

"Well how do you like that," Hidan laughed in disbelief. "Not even a how do you do, just a 'return home!' Like we're kids or something. I'm a grown ass man, I've probably killed more than him!"

Kakuzu shook his head. "You're right, we can't let this opportunity slip by. We'll never have a better chance to slip into Konoha and grab Sarutobi. Skipping this is to much of a waste for me."

"Wait, you're actually in favor of me in this, going against the Leader? That's a first..." He stood there, finger tapping his lip in thought. _It's not just me that's changing, he is to. Could it be killing Kurtz? _

"The Leader was right," Kakuzu said simply as he stood up and dusted himself down. "It's an obsession. Money is what makes the world go round. For you, it's killing. Looking at it now you're probably feeling a bit off about it, but you'll always come back to killing. Just like everything in the world comes back to cash. It's just two types of currency."

_Not a bad way of looking at it. I might seriously have to think about recruiting Kakuzu sometime. _"So it's settled then," Hidan said finally. "We'll have to start moving tonight then. He did say he'll Source I if we're not back, and I'd hate to deal with that in the middle of such a massacre.

"That's more of the Hidan I know."

He pointed a thumb at himself and flashed his confident smile. His earlier doubts hadn't been erased, not by a long shot, and that _kid, _the Nara boy, his words were still present, like a tattoo. But they were not so fresh anymore; these thoughts and those words which he had refused to think about had been pushed to the back of his mind. It was time to get back into shape. "I'm back in business, baby!"

"Don't ever say that again."

XXX

**Sorry for the extra long wait, two writers thinking and agreeing makes the wait times longer. I'll keep writing these while my partner and I share ideas, to keep the style and flow the same. Hope you like our first unified chapter!**


	7. Chapter 7- Specters of the Past

XXX

**Hidan**

They of course avoided the main road. Not just because they're robes and straw hats were a dead giveaway for their allegiance, or that they were carrying an unconscious boy with them, or even that they themselves were the most wanted men in the nation. Rather, they just didn't like being around other people that they couldn't kill.

_We need to keep a low profile. Can't go charging off blindly anymore._

They walked through the rough trodden side road, long forgotten by maintenance and swallowed up by vengeful nature. Vines and rocks went skittering across the ground as they're almost military order footsteps went between the trees. The rain continued it's merciless descent, drenching their cloaks and straw hats, but the white tassels protected their faces from the drops that fell off the brims.

As their journey to the Village Hidden in the Leaves continued, he found his thoughts straying across what their Leader would do. The moment he had found out he and Kakuzu had disobeyed a direct command, there would be trouble. Truth be told, the Leader was the only one that made him slightly queasy inside, the only one he was sure might actually be able to kill him, even with his immortality. His disgraceful tone was just to cover up the real emotion beneath the surface.

He claimed to be a god. It would be a sight to see when Jashin came to this earth and showed him the real god. But until then, as far as Hidan was concerned, the Leader was truly on another level. His wrath would be something to be feared when they returned to base.

The more he thought about it and the more he tripped over the ensnaring vines strewn across the grass, the more he wondered why he had been so eager to come out here. Was it the thought of more bloodshed by his hand? Probably, but not all of it. Was it because he was eager to make the money off the cashcow? No, money was Kakuzu's thing.

_Is it because I actually want to try and be friends with this atheist slime? It can't be, we hate each other! I just made it clear to both of us in the cave that we can't be friends. We can only ever be partners in fighting. That's all there is._

"On the topic of a distraction," Kakuzu grunted. "How can we divert their attention away from one of the side gates so we can slip in?"

"A side gate? Pshhh," Hidan sneered. "No, we'll really give them a slap in the face. We'll come through the main entrance, right under their noses."

"That's ridiculous, that's where security will be heaviest. Use your head. No, we need a clever method that can last us a long time. Enough time to be in and out swiftly."

Hidan shifted the sleeping jinchuuriki to his free shoulder. "I would just say myself, but in addition to my immortality being... unreliable... well, I just can't count on you to actually get through this by yourself. You'd probably just find some way to screw it up."

"It's funny how I'm the one with twice as much as battle experience than you. But no, you can't risk yourself out there. We need something more solid..."

Lost in thought, Hidan stepped forward and smashed his toes into a rock. He tripped and the jinchuuriki fell noisly to the ground, while Hidan landed on his back on the hard earth. He frowned up at the trees obscuring his vision of the raining sky. A few drops landed in his eye before he sat up and rubbed his back. "Well, the ground is tough enough."

Kakuzu stopped, and Hidan recognized the look instantly. "Sounds like you've cooked up something good."

"Yes, your stupidity seems to be coming in handy this time around."

"Than-HEY!"

Kakuzu pointed a painted finger at his back. "The earth style user who I just absorbed. I think..." He stopped and closed his eyes, brought his hands together into a trio of hand seals.

**"Earth Style: Rock Clone Jutsu!"**

The muddy ground at their feet split and broke apart as dry chunks of earth rose at the command of Kakuzu's chakra. The unrecognizable lumps slowly solidified into living resemblances of Kakuzu, much to Hidan's fascination. He brought a hand up to touch the earth clone, but the figure's personality wasn't to much different from the material he was made out of. "Don't, Hidan."

"Two of the same loser partners," Hidan sighed and picked up the muddied body of the kid. It was a miracle how they had kept him sedated for a few days now, especially after all the times he'd been dropped or gone through battle. "Well, how does this help. It's just a walking statue of yourself."

Kakuzu tilted his head. "Behind you."

He looked, and his mouth split into a grin. "That's what I'm talking about," he said to the ten other rocky Kakuzu's. "So you'll just send in a bunch of these guys to one of the walls, I like it. But these are designed for distraction tactics, probably barely able to do taijutsu. It'll take a hundred of these pricks to do anything worthwhile."

"You forget the chakra nature they are, and that of which the Leaf Village is known for," Kakuzu said slyly, as he did the release sign, and the clones fell back to the earth. "These rock clones can withstand ninja tools just fine, And, fire doesn't have to much effect on earth based chakra, which is what the Land of Fire is known for."

Hidan, who's knowledge of ninjustu was the equivalent of an academy student, cocked his head so that the tassels fell to one side. "You lost me at 'Leaf.'"

Kakuzu pulled out a knife and into a nearby tree carved some symbols. "I don't understand how you got into Akatsuki. This is simple battle strategy. We are under the assumption Konohagakure has sent out its elite forces throughout the Land to hunt us, as per regular hunting procedure, leaving behind reserves of chunin and genin. There are relatively no ANBU or jonin in the village, meaning all their 'high quality' shinobi are not there. These leftover shinobi will have been educated in fire release techniques, which are naturally weak against earth style. And what's more..."

The former Takigakure shinobi made another hand sign. Hidan watched as the features on the stony gray figures changed, losing the strange looking eyes of Kakuzu to normal irises, their facial features warping from wide to stark thin. They lost their muscular shape and reverted to medium built. When it was over, Hidan was looking at completely different clones.

Kakuzu gestured with his knife proudly, though his voice was slightly strained. "And now disguised clones so they don't know who's attacking."

He carved in a wall and some crude figures standing on top of it, then drew some more figures off to the side. "These ones on the ground are the clones, and the ones on the wall the defenders, or the chunin and genin guarding the village. They'll send down kunai, shuriken, and fire release attacks to stop the attack. Which, as they'll understand to late, won't stop these clones." Kakuzu smiled from behind his mask. "The Konoha-nin are clever, and they'll destroy the clones soon enough, but not before we're far inside..."

Hidan nodded dumbly, his eyes still blank. _Man, he really likes explaining this stuff. I hope he understands I could care less. _"Then..."

Kakuzu slammed the knife halfway into the tree, burying it up to its hilt in a surprising display of strength. "Then we take Sarutobi and walk away from this stupid country thirty-five million ryo richer."

XXX

**Kakuzu**

The forest began to thin out two hours later, as the rain finally realized the ones it had been attacking were beyond being intimidated. Their trek began to slope upwards, and he overtook Hidan in his eagerness. _The largest bounty in twenty years is just a few miles away. This is an opportunity Kurtz would have died for... given he wasn't already dead. _

The slope ended and he was suddenly given a view of the large shinobi village of the Land of Fire. It's gleaming lights of the dying night life shined innocently, not knowing that withing a few hours the very place that housed them would be attacked. As Kakuzu recalled, the village had been attacked in a joint union of the Land's of Wind and Sound, though the invasion had eventually subsided into defeat for the attacks. The resilience and dedication the ninja of this village had for one and other and their home was something he would never understand, having forsaken bonds like those when he had left his own village.

_And not just leaving, slaughtering the elders and stealing the forbidden ninjutsu scroll for the Earth Grudge Fear. Even if I wanted to return, they would never accept me back. The weak minded fools, they'll never understand..._

Hidan finally caught up, his forehead sweaty despite the cool night air. "Thanks for waiting up," he wheezed grudgingly as he unceremoniously threw the jinchuuriki on the ground.

"There it is, Hidan," Kakuzu replied instead, not wanting to aggravate his partner again. "To think so much money could be invested in a single man's lifeless body."

"Who set up the bounty on these Guardian Ninja anyways?"

"I don't know or care, money is money. In this line of work, you don't question sources and information." Kakuzu rubbed his left arm's muscles, involuntarily tensing. The thought of money always got him riled up and thirsting for action. Even if his control over his freshly modified body wasn't perfect, that didn't mean he would skip out on the incoming fight. The rock clones would take the brunt of the attack, but it just wasn't a good bounty mission without a good fight for himself.

Hidan sniffed disapprovingly. "You don't even care where the money's coming from as long as you get it. That's stupid, even by criminal standards." He shook his head as if Kakuzu was a young boy who had brought home disastrous grades. "Tell me again how it's possible such a devout follower of Jashin got put with a person with such a lack of decency?"

"I'm not the one smearing blood on the ground in a triangle and expecting people to realize it's a ritual."

"It's a triangle _and _a circle!"

To Kakuzu's surprise, he found himself laughing. The sound of it definitely startled Hidan. "Did you just choke or was that a laugh?"

"I think it was a laugh."

Hidan chuckled a bit. "Your laugh reminds me of killing the death scream of the Jashinist leader. Good times, good times."

_When was the last time I laughed outside of a fight? _Kakuzu thought to himself, disconcerted. _An emotion besides hatred with Hidan? _His memory traced back to his awkward thanking back when they had first procured the jinchuuriki. Such warm emotions or words were never expressed between the Akatsuki duo, who everyone recognized as bitter enemies on the same team.

_But here we are, getting along so well. Actually laughing, instead of fighting. Sure, we were talking about Hidan gutting his former leader and not something casual like sports, but it hardly matters. _He looked out over to the bustling village of Konohagakure, slowly reaching a hand up to take off his straw hat. The tassels brushed against his face as he brought it down gently._ Hidan is always the one cracking the jokes and trying to talk, and I've always been the one to push back. We're criminals, we said, criminals work only for business. It's just like Kurtz said, I don't have morals. I can't have friends, only partners. _His grip on the hat tightened. _Then how is one supposed to explain the comfortable feeling, the sense of ease, when being around Hidan?_

"Yo, Kakuzu, wake up."

"W-what?"

The silver haired fanatic gave him an odd look. "You spaced out looking over the village, and you've pretty much destroyed your hat. You know Konan got those special ordered, she'll be pissed."

Kakuzu sighed, tossed the crumpled straw out over the cliffside. "I was thinking, you always bring up when you killed the leader of your precious cult, but how does that even add up? How can kill your allies and leader of the only thing that has any value to you?"

Hidan's face darkened visibly. "That's not something I want to talk about, Kakuzu."

He spread his arms, now genuinely curious instead of searching for a change in conversation. "We're both friends here, nobody around to hear. And who am I going to tell, Tobi?"

His partner sighed and sat himself down, his legs dangling over the edge. "Alright, I'll believe you. But one word of this from anyone else's mouth but my own and I'll kill you, alright?" That's how they always warned each other, something so serious to others but so laughable for them both. Kakuzu nodded his head and also sat down, resting himself and concentrating his attention on adjusting the masks on his back.

"There's no real way of saying it other than I woke up and killed them. It was like they'd just pumped me full of caffeine or adrenaline or some shit. They had me chained up, after the ritual of my immortality. I could feel the power of Jashin just running through me! An awesome power..." His eyes seemed to fade a little, grow dim, as he looked back on the memory. "I can't recall many memories happier than that."

"And then he told me to kill all of them." The words came out so bluntly that Kakuzu actually leaned back, amused.

"Who?"

"Lord Jashin, in my head. To slaughter every last one of his disciples. The ultimate offering, he said."

Kakuzu shook his head. "Jashin isn't real, Hidan. You imagined his voice."

Hidan sighed in reply. "I won't bother trying to explain it because I don't understand it myself. Just like when I had that feeling against the Nara kid, the sudden sensation to duck. I could've been killed or at least incapacitated severely if I hadn't moved. And what gave me that impulse to duck?" He was sounding excited, yet frustrated. An interesting mix of emotions that was telling Kakuzu his words were sincere. "It was Jashin, guiding me!"

"I don't know about that. Survival instinct, perhaps."

Hidan shook his head again. "I don't know how else to explain it, Kakuzu. He spoke to me then and he spoke to me in the forest. He gifted me with immortality in his name and in return I fulfilled his request. Not one person left that place but me. Then I went around the whole continent just killing whoever I liked, whether it was apart of the cult or a stranger." He gulped dryly, his face tight. "And that's what set me off on liking killing. Because Jashin liked it, I liked it. I did enough of it that I grew to enjoy it." He turned to look at Kakuzu's impassive face and flashed a broken grin. "Not a fairy tale for the kids, eh?"

Kakuzu did not reply for some time, instead watching his straw hat, caught in the early morning breeze, flutter away. "I don't know what to say about Jashin," he said at least. "The only thing that I know that exists that I can rely on is money. It's the only permanent thing in this world to rely on. I refuse to believe that a god, no matter how barbaric, would actually instruct a disciple to kill members of his own religion. It's illogical."

"Jashinism isn't logical, Kakuzu. It's faith."

"Bullshit. It's sadistic is what it is. It's worse than me." Kakuzu watched the hat fly away until it landed somewhere in the forest far below them. "You say you heard his voice, but the immortality is the result of experimentation by the cult itself. You were energized; maybe you just imagined the voice. It wasn't Jashin telling you to kill them, but yourself."

Hidan was already shaking his head before he had finished speaking. "No, Kakuzu, that can't be the case."

"No God in the right mind would order that. Hidan, we're partners, but you're also one of the most insane people I know. It's possible you just imagined-"

"No, it can't be." Hidan was staring at his hands, eyes still dim. "That couldn't be the case. I wouldn't... no, Jashin told me! It's just your non-believing ways distracting me from the truth..."

Kakuzu waved a hand, not wanting to delve deeper. "Fine, that's enough arguing for one day anyways. I was just wondering what had actually happened that day." He stood up and stretched his arms. "We've spent enough time here. It's time we make our move."

"We've forgotten one thing," came the already smartened up reply. _He's glad we're off the topic. _"What?"

"What do we with the kid? We can't just leave him anywhere, what if one of those scouting parties picks him up? There's bound to be sensory shinobi of a sort."

He gritted his teeth. "Damn, that slipped my mind. Would be so much easier if we could just kill him and be done with it, but that's out of the question. What, then? Have any sealing jutsu handy?"

"Even if I did, would you just leave him carelessly up in a tree?" Hidan retorted, folding his arms. He got up and looked out over the forest, as if looking for something. "Yeah... this I remember."

"What now? Not having a vision, I hope."

"No..." He sighed again, stood up and ran a hand through his silvery hair. "This was the one I didn't get to, the Leaf ninja took it out themselves. The fools took away to many locals, drew attention to themselves, and just drawing the symbol on the door in blood was probably not the wisest choice, even for me."

_Ah, I see. _"A Jashinist hideout?" he ventured.

"Worship center," Hidan corrected." He cast a side glance and hefted the scythe onto his left shoulder, holding the blades upwards to the heavens. "Yeah, a small one but still attracted the wrong attention. Konohagakure took care of it pretty quickly, and it was reported to be a complete wipeout of worshipers. But that remains to be seen." He twirled the scythe once and the latched it onto his back, bent over to pick the sleeping boy again. "I came here with the intetion to kill them myself, only to find it already done. Funny how that works, huh?"

"If you say so."

Hidan rolled his eyes. "Alright Mister Enthusiastic, let's go. I think I can remember the way."

XXX

**Hidan**

His thoughts were haunted, each footstep sending a shiver down his spine. Remembering walking to the scene of disaster, with the flames licking up towards the sky and the mixed jeers and screams. He had been fresh in his power then, arrogant and not worried about potential limits. He had destroyed only one worship center until that point, a small one consisting of only nine people. And along the way, six more had met their end.

But the confrontation of forty-seven burnt and bloody corpses was something else entirely. It frightened him, seeing so much bloodshed at once back then.

It had changed him to what he was now.

_For the glory of Jashin, _the memory of himself echoed. _To kill, to hate, and to obey no one._

The ruined wreck of the building still stood, though nature had reclaimed much of it. Hidan sliced away some vines that blocked the door, then proceeded to slash open the old, burnt wood anyways.

_Stay easy. Jashin is with me, this is where he resides. This is where the worship happened-_

_Then why would he want me to kill and desecrate his centers? Why? Was it really him telling me?_

"It's seen better days," Kakuzu commented as he examined the blackened interior walls. "Nobody will look here, you're right, but this ramshackle excuse of a church wouldn't hold a child."

"This is just the surface," Hidan said grimly, shaking his brooding thoughts away. "I doubt the Leaf infidels found- ah, yes, here it is." He carelessly tossed the burnt altar away, revealing a loose, man-sized piece of board. He pulled it up quickly, and both instinctively flinched as a repulsive smell emitted from below.

"Jashin is darkness," Hidan explained as he tested the first step of the ladder going down. "At night, the ceremonies are allowed to be held in the hall, when no light besides the moon penetrates the building. But for constant servicing, the main altar is kept below, hidden away from any potential sources of light."

Kakuzu shook his head. "I could care less, let's just go down there and get this over with.""

They both descended into the darkness, a complete and utter black atmosphere that no eye could ever penetrate.

"Hang on, let me work this out," Kakuzu said gruffly. "Hmm... yes, this'll do. **Fire Style: Shattering Inflammation."**

There was the sound of air being taken in, and then a large _whooshing _sound, followed by instant orange light as Kakuzu exhaled a thin stream of flames that ran down the center of the chamber, illuminating it sufficiently.

Kakuzu gave a whistle. "Where the hell did your lot get the money to make something like this?"

The chamber was massive, a huge space opened before them. The floor was earth as was the ceiling, but pillars of obsidian faintly gleaming obsidian acted as supports, while equally dark steps led the way down to a massive triangle with a circle in the middle. It was a full blown underground worship area, an architectural marvel, and-

"Plenty of bodies to go around," Kakuzu finished the silent thought. Hidan slowly nodded, and descended down the black steps.

The coven seemed to have been more expansive than even he had anticipated; there were perhaps another forty cold, lifeless corpses strewn all around. Many were frozen in positions of throes of death, some clutching throats, others stomachs, while a few rusty, slightly red knifes were scattered about.

"Why didn't they just leave?" Kakuzu wondered aloud. "They've all either starved or slit their own throats. That altar wasn't even that heavy, it would've been easy to escape."

_You never leave your Lord's side, _he thought. _He will save you when you are in need. An offering of blood to him, and he will return to you your life when you are in need. _However, he did not give these thoughts to Kakuzu. It wouldn't help the situation any more.

They walked down the steps, their footsteps echoing eerily throughout the black chamber. The flames of Kakuzu's jutsu had spread down, lighting up the ground well enough, but still preventing the ceiling from being seen. Had there been even a few dim lights above, it would have seemed they were outside under the night sky.

When they had reached the center of the large red symbol on the floor, which was perhaps the only place untouched by rotting corpses, Hidan tossed the kid onto the ground, to which the blonde grunted uncomfortably.

"Very official," Kakuzu said sardonically. "Now what, we just leave him here under maybe a few feet of concrete and dirt?"

"Hey, I'm trying aren't I?" Hidan retorted irritably. "I have a technique that can bind him here. Here, give me the last of the sleeping pills." A brown hand lanced out from his partner, carrying the barely full bag of pills, then retreated with a wet _smack _when the bag was in Hidan's grasp.

_Alright kid, don't wake up on us now. _Hidan plopped open his mouth and forced him to swallow in his deep sleep. The blonde gave a grunt, then carried on with his rest.

"Get back," Hidan ordered. Kakuzu stepped back until he was in line with the obsidian pillars, many yards away from the symbol and the two.

_Here it goes. _Hidan put his palms together and closed his eyes, concentrating his chakra, kneading it inside himself. **"Curse Technique: Death Chain Binding!"**

From his connected hands, a long, snakelike coil of brilliant black and red chains burst out, thick and heavy but for the moment as light as a feather. Then another coil of chains came out, hovering in their air in front of Hidan. In the background, he could almost hear his partner's impressment.

Still maintaining a grasp on the technique, the chains followed his intention, and shot out towards the sleeping Naruto. Each chain took an arm and wrapped him rapidly, quickly ensnaring the kid in a glowing darkness. The chains kept coming from his closed palms, multiple yards of chakra hardened chains.

With a cry, Hidan broke apart his palms and held them in front of them spread facing away, so that the two different branches were split. He slammed his palms into the ground, and there was a loud _clank _as the metal separated from this world from the other. With a deep breath, he stood up and observed his handiwork. The jinchuuriki was wrapped tightly in layer upon layer of glowing black chains, holding him in place efficiently. The chains extended out to where his palms had touched the ground, where they had been smashed in deep.

"Nice technique," Kakuzu said as he walked over. "Another one of your Jashinist tools?"

"I've never used it before," Hidan confessed, rolling his shoulders experimentally. The flow of chakra had sent painful bursts up along his upper body. _Further strain of not having done the ritual, no doubt. _"I've never had a need to keep someone imprisoned, just to kill them."

"How did you learn this one then?"

He shrugged. "It's what they used on me to keep me restrained during my transformation. Unfortunately, I knew the release seal." He gestured out to the boy. "These chains are made of the pure essence of Jashin, nothing but darkness. They sent only dark thoughts into the captive, both awake and asleep. It'll crush his happy personality if he wakes up and disillusion him into helplessness. It's the safest we can go."

"And furthermore, no one would ever suspect this place," Kakuzu commented. "If it's as you say, then we have no need to worry about this brat anymore." He put a hand on Hidan's shoulder in a somewhat friendly manner. "It's time we get Sarutobi and wipe that smirk off the Leader's face."

Hidan smirked himself. "I can hardly wait. Let's go make a mess of things."

XXX

**Shikamaru**

_There! No, no, it's just another shadow. I could have sworn though, I have to be sure. Quietly, quietly… no, nothing there. Am I being paranoid, Asuma sensei? They're still in the Land of Fire, but for what? To get me? The Jashinist, he wants me, he wants me dead bad, I know. That's why he's been creeping around, he's looking for the right opportunity to strike! Yes, I need to stay vigilant. I won't allow Asuma sensei to have died in vain, not at all. No, they're still in the country, I know. Looking for me, he said he would come back for me. The Will of Fire… can't help me. Only I can. Only I can help myself now to avenge Asuma sensei. What! What was that! It's them, I know!_

"Shikamaru, where are you…?" came a feminine voice, distant and floaty. "Where are you...?"

"Ino? Ino! You're alive!" He stood up from the bench in the library, went flying around the side of the bookshelf to see his teammate-

_Shikamaru… where are you? _Her voice faded with the wind that had blown through the building. _Where are you…_

_No, Ino's dead. She's so dead. It's not just the Jashinist bastard anymore, it's his partner, too. Both are taking my team away from me. No, she can't be dead! Ino… Asuma sensei… gone? No, no, they're still alive. I can make their memories stay, by killing them. I'll be the death of them, yes! By killing them, their memories remain, I avenge them!_

He clumsily threw himself down onto the desk, where stack upon stack of books lay. One, _Jashinism: Truth or Reality? _Was marked in several areas by red ink, circling important facts and observations. A newspaper clipping, _Jashinism Outlawed: Worship Center Destroyed _was covered in crazed stenciling, marking anything relating to location.

Shikamaru flipped through a journal, his sweaty hands staining each page he touched. Various recent newspaper clippings detailing the hunt for the two, hand-made pictures as well as official investigation photos, and little, completely irrelevant scrawling such as _Soon _and _Will of Fire _with it crossed out in darkened X's.

_They're here, I know. They're here in the Land of Fire. No, inside the village! Hunting, looking. For me? Yes, for me. They want to kill me, to finish their job. But I won't let them. No… no, not for me. No, yes for me. But for something else. They want something. What?_

He thumbed through is journal feverishly, pouring over his countless pages of notes, pictures, statistics and strategies. He had not been home at all since the retreat back to Konoha; he had been in the library, by the newsstands. Choji had stuck by him until recently, when he had been the last of his friends to give up on pulling him away from his "paranoid obsession-"

_No, they're here in the village! He said he was coming for me, the Jashinist Akatsuki! And I'm going to be waiting for him, because he's coming for me. Yes, he's coming. But not just for me. No, he listens to his partner. And his partner wants…_

He gasped aloud, his already pale face getting sicker. His eyes widened, stretching the bags under his eyes further.

His finger shakily touched Asuma Sarutobi's face, trailing from the eyes to the laughing mouth to the dangling cigar, then off the page, going along the table towards himself, until his finger was running across his leg and into his pocket, where the silver cigarette lighter was.

_They're coming for me and you, sensei. They want us both. No, they want me, yes they want you. They're monsters, they're going to attack the Leaf! But they'll never believe me, the Fifth is too stubborn to recognize the threat. The Elders are too stubborn. I tried to tell them before but they won't listen. Asuma sensei lied, there is no Will of Fire binding us together. Only I can do this. Asuma, yes, lied, no, mistake, no Will, yes?_

He coughed loudly, finished his drink of water. His head hurt terribly, his mind a painful mess of facts and pictures and memories.

_They're coming. Only I know, only I can know. I will create my own will, the Will of Shikamaru. I know them both now, just like they know me. They're coming, I know. And they know Asuma sensei is dead. They killed him, I know. But I know I'll kill them to. They have no more secrets._

_I know what I will do. And I know what I will. I will do the Will of Shikamaru._

XXX

**I would just like to say that I'm not against religion or anything; I'm Catholic so totally in favor of it. But you know, not like I'm actually going support Jashinism, you know? So just letting you guys know that's not me, that's Hidan and Kakuzu discussing if a god(Jashin) exists, through story banter.**


	8. Chapter 8- Scattered Leaves Part 1

XXX

**Other**

The rain had lifted early in the morning, leaving the tall battlements moist and cool. The Sun was only just beginning to peak over the distant mountains, and he raised a hand to block out the brilliant shine. It would still be several hours before the ceiling of his turret would shield him from the light.

_Man, gotta stop falling asleep on the job, _he thought guiltily to himself as he stood up from the chair he had collapsed in in the middle of the night. _The village is counting on me to protect it, especially with only the tiniest fraction of jonin and ANBU left. Hope they catch those bastards that killed Asuma Sarutobi soon, so we can finally relax and I can get back to playing shogi with Hoki, instead of playing guard up here._

Yawning, he stood up and approached the edge of the wall. The edge of the forest ran up right against the wall, obscuring a clean sight, but he had been taught what sounds represented nature and what didn't. And if he couldn't tell, the guard in the next turret would probably decipher any movement as well.

_Dangerous times, never know what one of the other nations might be coming in for an attack. Just look what happened with Sunagakure._

His eyes drifted away from the calm forest edge and back to the magazine he had been reading before he fell asleep. _What am I saying, no one in the right mind would try to attack the Leaf Village. I'm just over thinking this._

There was the smallest of rustles from the forest, out of his sight. _Just a deer. _He sat back down in his chair and pulled up the magazine. He cast a look down the left and right of the wall at the immediate turrets, but they're occupants were observing their niche to protect, to busy to pay attention to him.

_Time to relax, again! Maybe being a guard isn't so bad after all._

There was another sound of movement from the edge of the forest, and for a moment he thought he'd go check what was holding up the deer. _Ah, but to now we're getting to the bikini segment of the Miss Kinoichi beauty competition! Shove off, you stupid deer._

The entire wall on his right side imploded as he finished his thought. For a moment, he sat there, petrified. Then the turret started to lean as it's supports gave way to the concussion blast of the explosion, sending the chair slowly sliding but picking up speed. He hurriedly stuffed the magazine into his chunin jacket and jumped away from the turret.

Smoke was unfurling into the air, and from his quick vantage point in the air, he could see that a gaping hole had punctured the concrete foundations of the wall. And in the smoke, he could see fifteen stoic figures.

"ALERT!" he shouted desperately. "ALERT!"

The men from the other turrets were running over, and farther down on the left side, a small group of mixed genin and chunin were coming.

The smoke suddenly split apart as one of the attackers jumped through it. The man was blank faced but resolute, and was aiming straight for him. His hand dived into his weapons pouch and lobbed a trio of shuriken at the incoming target. To his great surprise, the metal bounced harmeslly off the other's face.

"What- AGH!"

The other sank a solid fist into his gut, sending the guard back to earth. He landed painfully on the wall, coughing hoarsely and feeling a line of blood seep from his mouth.

"Who are you people!?" he shouted as he pulled out a kunai knife. He charged at his opponent and made to stab him in the shoulder, where he ought to be able to dislocate his arm and impair the intruder. The other simply observed his advance silently, watching with unemotional eyes. The kunai knife struck the shoulder, but it was like trying to stab a slab of granite. The knife bounced off of his shoulder, not even making a dent.

"Answer me!" he shouted desperately. His emotions were fraught as he realized he would be blamed for not having raised the alarm before. He hoped to cover the mistake by dredging out information. He swung his other arm to hook the other in the face, but this time he ducked.

_He's fast, but I'm faster. _He jumped into the air and this time put both hands on the kunai handle. With a yell, he brought it down, this time aiming for the base of the skull, putting all his strength behind the downward strike.

The kunai knife's tip broke off on impact, and a jagged crack ran up along the rest of the blade. A moment later, the attacker swung with a closed fist, catching him along his legs. The impact was as if he had had a boulder thrown at his leg, and he was sent spinning away-

"Totesu!" Someone caught him, softening his landing. He looked up and saw it was Hoki. Beside Hoki, another chunin was finishing hand signs.

**"Fire Style: Flame Bullet!" **The chakra of the chunin condensed into hot flame, and struck the attacker directly. "Got him!"

"Great job!" Hoki called out. "Now, focus on the others- NO, LOOK OUT!"

From the center of the flames, the invader came out, untouched physically and emotionally. His fist caught the other chunin square in the face, and the other collapsed and rolled off the side of the wall. A pair of genin quickly replaced him, and engaged the man immediately.

More of the attackers had leaped onto the wall, and were engaging guards at will. Trios of genin and squads of chunin fought bitterly against the invaders who had penetrated their home, but the fight was not looking good. Hoki jumped away still carrying him, giving him a wide berth of the start of battle. Everywhere, fire release attacks were having no effect, and metal was bouncing off the invaders like nothing.

_Who are they? What is their purpose, who are they working for? Is it the Akatsuki? But what on earth could they want in the village itself, when they already have the jinchuuriki?_

XXX

**Kakuzu**

"Predictable as always. There's always the lazy one." They stepped out from the thicket, right onto the main road in front of the gates. "His mistake will cost this village dearly."

"Yeah, yeah," Hidan said peevishly. "Don't go into another explanation rant, you know by now I never listen to a word of it. It's pretty obvious that neither metal of fire are gonna damage those rock clones. We have a clear shot at Sarutobi, so let's get to it!"

Kakuzu cracked his knuckles. "Let's make this fast. We need to stick together and look for the burial crypt. If we get split up and engage multiple opponents individually, the higher the chances are one of them will run off and alert others. Then we'll have the whole village bearing down on us." He tugged at the collar of his Akatsuki cloak with superiority. "Follow my lead."

His partner rolled his eyes, as he knew he would. _Like hell I'd let him take the lead on this. This is my bounty, to top all previous ones. _He narrowed his eyes at the main gate. _But, I gave him that grand entrance he wanted. Now we're both pleased, at least._

The battle in the distance was raging terrifically. The randomization of the rock clones were perfect, there was no way the Leaf shinobi would trace the attack to Hidan and himself. _And none have even been destroyed yet. The plan is working perfectly._

They walked into the village as if it were a ghost town. Most of the citizens had retreated into their houses to avoid the conflict blasting away. A little girl, standing alone off to the side, saw them and ran over to them. "Hey, who are you guys?" she asked innocently, sounding more mature beyond her age. "Don't you know there's a battle going on? You should be hiding or helping to fight!" Her face was youthful and innocent, shadowed by the tall buildings standing on either side of them.

Kakuzu chuckled with the irony, but gave no reply. Hidan, however, pushed the girl aside bodily. "Get out of the way, girl. Don't get involved." She stumbled and fell down, but she stubbornly folded her arms and called after them.

"You two need to be helping your village," she said resolutely. Kakuzu turned in surprise, not expecting her to be so rigorous. _She can't be more than five, but she's talking to us like she's our mother! Sometimes these young ones just don't understand their place._

"I told you, little girl," Hidan said harshly. "Don't get involved. Go run to your mommy or go play your with your dolls. Come on, Kakuzu, let's get going."

"Where's your sense of loyalty?" she said shrilly to their black and red cloaked backs. "Don't you have any decency left in you rather than to walk away!"

Hidan gave a snarl and unlatched the scythe from his back swinging it around to point at the little girl. Kakuzu frowned from behind his mask. _She's just a girl, Hidan, don't hurt her when she's done no wrong, _is what he wanted to say. "Leave it," he said instead. "We don't need to start killing yet."

The girl was looking scared now; in her eyes, Kakuzu could see the familiar fear of the cornered bounty. "Who are you people?" she said strongly, her voice not giving away the real emotion in her eyes. "Why aren't you helping?"

There was a familiar look in Hidan's eye as well, and Kakuzu moved to stand in between. "I said no killing," he said again, firmly. "We just need to find where he's buried-"

"Why won't you fight for your village?" the girl asked again, still not moving from the spot. Her eyes were glazed over, drinking in both of them, shifting nervously back and forth... "Don't you have any loyalties?"

That did the trick for Kakuzu. A memory of the Takigakure elders ridiculing him flourished in his mind like a deadly flower. He released Hidan, who swung the scythe in a wide arc to cleave right thrugh the little, innocent girl... who had done no wrong, only doing what she had been told all her life...

"_Hidan, STOP!"_

The scythe swung in a bright red slash, almost painting the image for where blood would fly-

_Tink. Tink. _Kakuzu hurt the sound and looked down. _Smoke bombs-_

Suddenly, the entire scene was lit up in dark smoke. Kakuzu jumped out of it, taking him out of whatever trap might have been set. Three forms had darted into the haze, and Hidan and the girl were still inside. He heard a loud flurry of movement within the cloud, and after two minutes two figures jumped out, both wearing Konoha chunin uniforms. One was sporting a long cut on his right arm, while in his left he was holding the terrified little girl, unharmed.

_It's those two from the bounty hunting center, Kotetsu and Izumo, who were with Sarutobi and the Nara boy. How fitting they be the first ones we meet._

"Run!" Izumo shouted to the little girl, pushing her away in the direction of a sheltered alley.

The smoke was clearing, and Hidan was standing in it, completely still. Around a dozen kunai were embedded in his left arm and rib cage. His scythe was dripping red, but so far he had made no move to draw his blasted ritual circle.

_Why is he still stalling with that! Those kunai have got to be hurting the idiot. _"What a twist of fate you would be the ones to find us," Kakuzu said aloud as he stepped forward to stand next to Hidan. "I have to say, haven't you taken a hint by now?"

Kotetsu narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean, Akatsuki? You haven't told us anything. Rather, we'd like it if you told us where Naruto is."

"I mean that we've killed so many of you, you should learn not one person in this village can stop us," Kakuzu replied, purposely ignoring the pitiful question. _They're bravery is admirable, but this farce was over before it began. No chance at all._

The chunin with the wounded arm, Izumo gave a fake smile. "We fought you once already, we know your game. This time, you won't be escaping so easily!"

Kakuzu folded his arms in front of him, amused but keeping his tone neutral. "Where is Asuma Sarutobi?"

Izumo drew out a kunai with his slashed arm, but with a wince of pain, he dropped it. Both Hidan and Kuzu watched it fall with silent laughter.

There was a glint on the ground-

_Trap- to late._

A long, thin cord was lying around their feet, invisible in the daylight. There were other chunin and genin on the buildings standing on either side of them. The cord became taut and quickly wound it's way around their ankles.

**"Ninja Art: Homing Shuriken!"**

The cord snapped into place as the voice echoed on either side. Kakuzu look to his left, and saw that six large fuma shuriken were racing toward them, staying unnaturally close to the wire...

Hidan gave a wild cry, signifying his return to his bloodthirsty nature, and swung the scythe down onto the cord. However, it had no effect; the wire simply took the hit and didn't so much as fray. _Ah_,_ not normal wire. It's been infused with chakra, and the jutsu user is having the shuriken connect to the wire to guide it towards us. We can't duck or evade it as long as the cord is touching us, so..._

With his arms still crossed, they extended with a wet, hollow snapand grabbed the wire on both ends, beginning to tug it down. _I'll just shift the wire to aim at the ground, so the shuriken simply won't hit us-_

"Not that easily, like I said," Izuma shouted. **"Water Style: Syrup Trap!"**

_Not this stupid jutsu again- GAH! _The water, condensed into a thick, sticky mixture, struck his left arm. It blew it clear off the wire and weighed it down away from the wire. _But my right-_

"Still no chance, Akatsuki!" Kotetsu said instead. **"Water Style: Liquid Bullet!"**

A small small glob of water shot out this time and struck his arm in where his elbow joint ought to have been. The thread extension recoiled and he reflexively released the chakra wire, and all the while he heard the dangerous spinning of the approaching fuma shuriken.

"Uh, Kakuzu?" Hidan said, his voice dripping with mock disappointment. "Maybe something more, I don't know, effective?"

"You just don't know when to shut up, do you?" He looked over at Kotetsu and Izumo. "You're right, you did fight us before. But even an old dog like me learns new tricks."

Both their faces contorted, and they each drew a long, sharp kunai sword, the same they had used to stab Hidan before. They rushed forward, aiming to slash through both of them.

He shook his head. "Every single time I walk into shinobi like you, there is always the perfect plan laid out, thinking that it will always go as planned. Like I told the Nara boy, every good strategy works only if things go on the battlefield just as well. You may have stopped my defense... but it would appear you have forgotten about our ability to have a counter offensive!"

The Akatsuki cloak shredded in the back as both flame masks and the wind mask emerged. All the chunin seemed to freeze in time as the two fire masks stretched out to face them, while the wind creaked eerily to face the incoming Kotetsu and Izuma.

They had made the clumsy mistake of only making sure their feet were bound. His hands moved quietly easily through the chakra wire.

**"Fire Style: Incendiary Firework Bombardment!"**

**"Wind Style: Pressure Damage!"**

XXX

**Hidan**

One moment, the brilliant, wonderful exhilaration of battle and potential blood was flooding through him like a river, filling him like an empty reservoir. Then he had been bound by this blasted chakra wire, for the Jashin knew how many times, leaving Kakuzu to once again be the ones to break him out of it.

However, even he began to think dear old Kakuzu must have succumbed to the thrill of battle as well.

Both sides of building erupted in a colossal explosion as the small balls of flame struck them. However, upon impact, they simply did not explode and burn. The explosions multiplied, much like an actual firework, a chain reaction of destruction that rippled across the buildings like a sentient building. The chunin's screams on the roof were almost instantly silenced in the chorus of flame and bombs, something he was sure Deidara would have loved to see.

The foundations of the structures were weakened significantly, and fire was now roaming free. A few moments after the remnant of the jutsu had ended, there was a great stillness and anticipation, until suddenly both building exhaled their last and keeled over, collapsing upon themselves in a great plume of smoke, rubble, and screams as those inside were trapped in their own homes.

It was enough to make him laugh. _Definitely have to get Kakuzu to do that more often._

The two chunin from the hunting station, that had so rudely impaled him before, were nowhere to be seen. The road in front of Kakuzu and Hidan had been ruptured and cracked, the force of the exhalation having actually dug into the ground, through the concrete.

The wire shimmered slightly around them, then faded. Hidan swung his scythe again and cut through it swiftly this time, and shook his legs for good measure. "Man, I really hate getting in a bind like that. Get it? Bind?"

Kakuzu retracted his arms and flexed, causing the wire to snap away easily. "You talk to much." He looked around at the destruction he had caused with mild interest. "Did I do that?"

He laughed. "Man, you always forget stuff when you go into that full beast mode of yours. Sure it's not Alzheimer's or something like that?"

"Shut up. Let's get moving, before another attack party finds us-"

_Hmm, to late. _"Take a look behind you. Already on their way." He flourished the scythe, licking his licks in anticipation. _Oh I can't wait for this._

Kakuzu gave a snarl of frustration. "These Konoha-nin just never know when to give up! Ignore them, we need to find their burial crypt."

"Nah, you go on ahead," Hidna said, taking a step forward towards the incoming trio. They looked remarkably young; probably just a fresh genin squad, overconfident in their abilities and no doubt thinking they actually stood a chance. _Just the thought of slicing them open, for Lord Jashin, makes my heart flutter, bless me._

His partner gripped his shoulder roughly and shook him. "We stay together. You're not fully immortal, and I'm not at peak strength. Don't be an idiot and let your thoughts get ahead of you."

With a groan, he shouldered the scythe again. "Fine, where to?"

"Stop, intruders!" _Oooh, can't ignore a challenge like that!_

"Head towards the stone monument of the Hokages."

"Right." _Wrong! _Kakuzu jumped high into the air, over the heads of the genin. But Hidan instead bolted forward, his face breaking out into a wide grin. _Fresh meat, for Lord Jashin!_

The sun beat it's rays upon him, bathing him in the embrace of Jashin- _It's him, I know it!- _and the genin shielded their eyes as the scythe shone brilliantly in their faces.

"Nice knowing ya!" The scythe came down and tore through the kid in the front. His body lurched forward in death, as if still determined to meet him even in death, but it was far short-lived; it took a ghostly step forward, then toppled over in a shower of blood. The last two were smart enough to hear their comrade's demise and duck, avoiding the first strike. But his ease with the scythe was far beyond that of any man; he and it were one. The metal coil sprang around and tripped the youth. The three blades of his weapon curved around as he jumped into the air, guiding it with his palm alone. He had a look at the kids' eyes of shock, one a terrified girl and the other a determined boy, before the tip of the blade ripped into their bodies and went out the other end.

_Clang. _He frowned as his feet landed on the ground again. _That last one stopped the bulk of it from entering by blocking it with a kunai. Tricky guy._

In the distance behind him, he could hear Kakuzu fighting another group of enemy shinobi that had discovered them. He was aware that by having decided to fight the genin, he had cost themselves valuable time they needed to search for Sarutobi.

_But after so long without a battle I can actually enjoy, what did he expect! The thrill of killing is just to much to ignore, more valuable than any stupid bounty he could ever get. _All earlier doubts over the lust for murder had been erased, he was even regretting not killing the lover of Asuma, the red-eyed bitch Kurenai.

_Well, she wasn't really a bitch, but when someone's as weak as her, does it really matter if I offend them or not?_

The genin before him was lunging again, and he effortlessly blocked it with the shaft of the scythe. He twisted the reaper's tool and wrestled the kunai out of the kid's hand, then turned sideways and gave a piston-like kick right in the middle of the survivor's chest. He went skidding across the harsh ground with his ribs cracked, where he puffed into smoke-

_Shadow Clone? What, how?_

"This is for Uncle Asuma! **"Fire Style: Ash Pile Burning Jutsu!"**

_This kid! _A dark, choking gray cloud robed him. _A trip down memory lane, except this time I don't have the ritual going, nor do I have the immortality helping me out like before. _He grimaced. _This kid... he's gonna make a great sacrifice._

There was a _chink, _followed by a great roaring and blinding orange light as the ash became illuminated in fire. He squeezed his eyes shut and ran forward through the haze, blindly swinging at what he thought was the source-

**"Fire Style: Searing Migraine!"**

"Wait, Kakuzu-!"

The flames around him were suddenly swept away by an even bigger plume of fire, and he felt his skin sizzle and his blood boil inside him. "Hot, hot, HOT, HOT! FUCKING HELL THAT'S HOT!"

His own yell was drowned out by the higher-pitch scream of the kid. Hidan opened his eyes through the eye-watering smoke, and saw a much smaller form stumbling around in front of him. He slashed upward and then sideways through the smoke, and he felt the blades tear through real flesh this time.

The smoke began to clear as he rubbed his eyes, and finally he got a look at his fallen opponent. His hair was standing up, his headband dusty, and his blue scarf burnt with a few live embers still living on it.

And he was still breathing.

"Well?" Kakuzu had walked up and was standing behind him, tapping his foot angrily. Hidan could practically feel the rage boiling off his partner. However, he was much to incensed by the "help" to even care. "Thanks for the wonderful bailout attack. I think I've gotten a great new tan!"

"If you hadn't been so blind to killing," Kakuzu snarled, clenching and unclenching his left hand. "We wouldn't even be here, we could have had Sarutobi and be gone already! Saved the killing for someone worthwhile!"

Hidan glared down at the barely breathing kid. "This kid knew the same attack as Sarutobi, and said something about him being his uncle. Ain't that right, kiddo?" He kicked the boy violently, turning him onto side. "Come on, am I right?"

"U-u-uncle Asuma..."

"See, I told you. Now, where's you uncle buried, kid? You can tell us, we won't hurt him. Just vandalize his grave a bit, that's all. Come on, stop whimpering like a weakling, answer me!" He didn't care how rude and cruel he was being, nor did he care Kakuzu had dropped his fury and was now looking at him with almost affronted eyes. S_ince when did he give a fuck? _

_Maybe he's grown soft since killing Kurtz. Yeah, he definitely feels guilt for doing that. Doesn't want to kill as often. But that last Searing Migraine took out a whole other building; he's lit this whole damn village on fire. What's his deal?_

"Come on, kid!"

"The... graveyard... the cemetery... outskirts, hidden in the training grounds... p-p-please..."

"On the outside of the walls," Kakuzu said with disgust. "We didn't even need to bother coming in here and risking our lives for this. What a waste of time and money."

Hidan gave the kid a sadistic nod and smile. "Thanks kiddo, you've been great Now, say hi to your uncle and friends for me!"

"HIDAN." The authority in Kakuzu's voice startled him. Never had that gotten out...

"Right..." He hefted the scythe, leaving the kid to live.

"You don't have to kill everything you see, Hidan," Kakuzu said quietly. "Just what we need to make sure our mission is successful. We don't have the time for a massacre."

"You should talk," Hidan grumbled amidst the burning, shattered ruins of the various buildings around them. "Let's just get out of here to the cemetery."

XXX

**Other**

"That's what I'm trying to tell you! They're not people, they're rock clones! We need explosive tags- Look out!"

He tried to shield the chunin but failed to stop a large, sharp stake of flying wood from impaling the other in the back. The explosion, the source of the flying stake, ended in a spectacular plume of orange flame and gray smoke. Out of it, he saw one of their attackers jump out of, leaping back towards the battlements.

_My Byakugan is definitely reading this right, these attackers aren't running the normal chakra network, it's clustered around the base. We've been duped, and I can only guess it's by whoever is running around the village._

"Neji!"

"Sakura, are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine, I'm trying to heal the wounded but we just can't get past the attackers. And we still haven't heard back from Izumo and Kotetsu about the attackers in the village itself-"

_Everything is falling apart. _"Sakura, the ones of the walls are earth style, solidified clones. That's why fire jutsu and shuriken aren't having any effect on them- _WATCH OUT!_"

One of the earth clones themselves was approaching fast, fist already drawn back to crush into Sakura's skull-

Sakura whirled and kicked back her clenched fist. Neji's eyes widened as he saw that familiar amount of chakra, all concentrated into her hand smash around the clone's own fist. There was an awful crack in the air, and then suddenly her arm was riping through the clones, smashing it's head open like an egg. The body immediately dissolved, leaving a pile of sand and crumbled earth at their feet.

"Well, that's one down," she grumbled, rubbing her wrist. "Neji, if these are clones, where are they coming from? Use your Byakugan to find out where the chakra source is!"

He only nodded, having already begun to establish the connection.

_Because I'm the genius... right, Naruto? You said it yourself... now if only you were here to tell me it again. _

"There you are, Neji!" A female voice, Tenten's, broke his concentration. Another body landed beside her, and he recognized the breathing as Lee's.

"The attackers are earth style clones," Sakura explained. "Neji's trying to figure out the source with his long-range Byakugan. If we take out the source, then we can stop this attack altogether..."

_Focus. Ignore what's going on around. Focus. _The sounds of battle and explosions faded...

**"Byakugan!"**

Sakura, Lee, Tenten, defenders, assorted clones, animals in the forest, villagers in their homes-

_There-_

"Neji, what's wrong? Neji?" Lee was shaking his shoulder, but the shock was still apparent. _In the forest?_

"It's Naruto," he grounded out. "In my sweep, I detected the main attackers: it's the Akatsuki, both of them, like we feared. They're moving in the direction of the graveyard. But I also found Naruto's chakra..."

Now it was Sakura holding him, up in his face. He deactivated the Byakugan and looked her in the eyes. They were full of hope and determination, just like what he was feeling, and what he knew Lee and Tenten were suddenly thinking as well.

"Where is he Neji?" Sakura asked softly.

"He's deep in the woods," he said, standing up and brushing himself down. "We need to divide up duties. The Akatsuki need to be stopped so this attack ends, but we also need to go after Naruto. The longer we wait on either of these tasks, the worse the possibilities could become."

"I'll spread the word about the earth clones," Tenten spoke up, already moving. "Then I'll rustle up whatever help I can get to go after the Akatsuki. You, Lee, and Sakura go after Naruto."

Lee nodded his assent. "Then there is no time to waste," he said gallantly, eyes shining. "It is up to us to turn things around for our village!"

"Lead the way, Neji," Sakura said quietly. Neji could almost read her thoughts, the expression on her face was so intensified. _She's not going to loose another team member. Not after Sasuke._

Tenten jumped onto the battlements, going back into the heart of the battle.

_We're coming, Naruto. We'll get you back, and put an end to these Akatsuki, once and for all._


	9. Chapter 9- Jashin's Resolve

**Hidan**

The graveyard was in their training guards, which in turn bordered the woods around the village. The sounds of the earth clones fighting the Konoha youth became clearer, though any chance of seeing it was stopped by the smoky clouds of burning plaster and concrete. Their footsteps dug into the gravel path, freshly smoothed like a red carpet announcing their arrival.

Kakuzu stopped and placed his palms together, eyes closed. "They've started to destroy some of my clones," he said after a moment. "Lucky shots, or..."

"Or they've got someone smart," he replied unconcernedly. He touched one of the fresh burns on his forearms and immeaitaly recoiled from the pain. "Thanks for this."

"Stop complaining. They'll be waiting for us."

Hidan rolled his eyes. "They don't even know we're here. Everyone's preoccupied with fighting the clones; we just grab this cashcow's body and hitch a ride out of here. With Jashin on our side, we can't fail anyways."

"Why? Because he's your god, or because you don't want to disappoint him?"

He sighed and fought the urge to cleave his partner in half. "One of these days, you'll see a miracle for yourself that isn't myself, Kakuzu. Then you'll stop asking such ridiculous questions."

"Stop."

_You can't be serious! _"No way you're telling me to shut up now," he said, infuriated. "You know, I've had about enough of your tough-guy talk, bossing me around. I've bee good to you all this time, even fighting my urge to rampage, and you just stop me cold like that!"

"That's not what I meant-" Kakuzu interrupted tersely, bending down on one knee and running a hand through the gravel.

However, Hidan was to upset to care about anything Kakuzu might say. "You know what? Jashin damn you, Kakuzu," he finished angrily. "You can get your own fucking bounty."

Kakuzu shot out a hand in warning. "Stop moving, you idiot." He stood up and rolled up his sleeves. "This entire path has been laden with explosive trip wire. It's all been smoothed out, instead of being trodden with footsteps."

Hidan crossed his arms. "Yeah, nice job trying to cover up your insult."

His partner sighed, as if he was talking to a little boy. "Just watch." He did a single hand sign, then slammed both palms into the ground. **"Earth Style: Terra Disturbance!" **For a moment, there was a still silence. Then, beneath his feet, he could feel the earth give a jolt, then a shake, all emitting from Kakuzu's hands. All at once, the earth split around Kakuzu in a small circle, while the ground shook tremendously.

A moment later, the gravel path lit up like a parade as the traps, laden with explosive tags, all exploded from the upheaval of land. Their walkway became a mixture of orange and red light as the tags spent their worth, making Hidan shield his eyes from the brilliant glow.

"Sometimes I'm actually trying to look out for you," Kakuzu said flatly but audibly over the din of bombs. "Remember that next time you shout at me."

The explosions died after a few seconds, leaving a smoky haze in the air that traveled far above their heads, casting them in shadow. The gravel path had been decimated, leaving exposed earth all the way into the woods themselves.

_But who knew we were coming down this path to lay the traps?_

Kakuzu straightened up, staring through the smoky haze with squinted eyes. He actually looked quite surprised. "Well I'll be damned."

Hidan turned his head. "What? What is it?"

"I knew you two would be coming back," came a voice from the smoke. "I guess a hundred years of experience makes even good traps defunct, right?"

_That voice... _"The Nara kid?" Hidan ventured aloud. "The hell are you even doing here?"

"Protecting my sensei one more time," said Shikamaru, stepping out of the smoke. _Wow, he definitely looks worse for wear. Those bags under his eyes sure weren't made for shopping. _"I let you guys best me twice, but this time I won't allow you to go on again." He spread one of his hands out over to point at the village. "I saw through your clones easily. No one else would have any reason to attack the Leaf, and when the fire techniques and shuriken didn't work, it assured me they weren't human."

"How did you not assume it was Iwagakure?" Kakuzu asked, rolling up the sleeves of his cloak. "They've had a grudge against Konoha; they could've easily been the ones attacking, knowing the village is fresh out of jonin and ANBU agents. You came out of this with a wild guess."

The boy came them a crooked grin. "Well, if it was Iwagakure, they wouldn't have come with only ten or so attackers. It would have been a much larger invasion force. Even for an experienced shinobi like yourself, ten clones on that scale of dexterity is about your limit." His smile grew wider. "And it helps that the Fifth and her council has just gone to meet the Third Tsuchikage to discuss negotiations for stopping the use of Akatsuki mercenaries."

Hidan gave a laugh and unhooked the scythe from his back. The boy flinched with the sound of metal, but nevertheless looked Hidan straight in the eye. "But _you're _the one I'm the most interested in. Your partner is a strategist and powerful fighter, but you..."

His laugh grew wilder as he relapsed the memory. "The one who killed your precious excuse of a sensei? Yeah, that's me!" He charged, dragging the scythe through the ruined path. He would sink its teeth into the boy's body, and then he would sink his own teeth into his throat-

**"Shadow Snake Paralysis Technique!" **Shadowy sinews sprang out of the boy, and Hidan jumped left to dodge them as they came at him like the tentacles of an octopus. The boy cracked his neck, and closed his eyes. The tendrils of chakra suddenly magnified in size, doubling, tripling in length and width, until they were as thick as three bodies tied together.

Hidan paused, a frown forming on his lips. "How are you doing that? That's gottta be using up all your chakra, and you haven't even attacked Kakuzu yet."

The boy smiled behind his hand seal. "Look up. There's a reason why I chose this place for Konohamaru to mislead you."

"Who?"

"Asuma's nephew," Shikamaru grounded out. "I told him to direct you here. Asuma's grave isn't aware in this direction; you've only walked into my arms."

"Then where is he?" Kakuzu asked calmly from behind. He hadn't moved a finger to jump into the fight, he was eying Shikamaru and his massive shadow tendrils with calculating eyes.

_Typical, let me do the dirty work while he evaluates._

"I don't need to tell you that, now do I?" the kid said tersely. "The gravel has been thrown up into the air from the explosions, the heat of the explosions having melted it down into airless molecules. This haze is going to be casting a shadow for some time... which means my techniques are able to be amplified with almost no more than average chakra input."

_Here it comes! _He jumped into the air as the tendrils lashed out at him. He swiped at them with his scythe and rolled his body around in the air, dodging each one with surprising ease. _He's tired, or distracted. His attacks are more powerful, but he's definitely clumsier._

"You seem to be a little worse for wear," Kakuzu commented aloud. "Your movements are lagged and sloppy, a genin could have dodged that." He cocked his head. "You've been soaked in desperate revenge like a sponge, haven't you?"

The boy bowed his head, still maintaining his hand signs. The shadowy extensions hovered warily above him, like giant serpents obeying their master.

"Asuma... Ino... Naruto... you've taken away a lot from me." The head came up, the eyes bloodshot, skin pale. "How can I sleep, knowing that the monsters who've taken so much from me have slipped through my fingers not once, but twice? How do I live with myself with this unsound justice!"

_The kid's gone crazy, I've only seen blood lust like that in myself and the rest of Akatsuki._

"How many lives are you taking right now, with those clones?" the boy continued gravely. "How many more lives will be spent because of you and your senseless slaughter?"

Kakuzu seemed to flinch with these words, but if he did, it was only for a moment.

"I knew you were coming, but I let no one else know," The boy said quietly. "It's been my fault I didn't kill you both before. This is my responsibility now, just like it was before. No one will interfere; I'll kill you myself!"

The shadowy snakes came out again, massive and threatening. Four of them came for Hidan, while two more made a grab for Kakuzu. They both jumped out of the way, but even as they made for the air, the black extensions chased after them, almost sentient in their intent.

_I am_ not playing_ keep away with this kid! _With a snarl, he pulled out one of his ritual spikes and threw it venemously at the boy. Before it could impale him, another, small arc of shadow stretched out and caught the spike. In an instant, it had whirled it around and thrown it back at him. He power slid forward, his cloak shredding on the rough earth, but the spike missed him. With a swear, he continued his sprint away from the shadows.

His partner, however, seemed to have something in mind. There was a wet _ripping _sound, and then from Kakuzu a black, writhing mass came from his back. It jumped away from the tendrils that suddenly divided to attack this new target. However, the mask was beyond human; it soared into the air and hovered, swishing through the sky, searching for something...

"The Wind Mask can't harm me," Shikamaru called. "It's fast now, but it'll have to stall to concentrate chakra into a powerful enough blast to hit me. Then my technique will get it."

Indeed, the mask suddenly stopped, obviously trying to work chakra into an attack. It was right in the center of it all, with the gravel screen cloud drifting through the sky lazily.

With a cry of dismay, Hidan watched as one of the many black serpents struck the wind mask, holding it in place in the air. He heard one of the tentacles make another lunge for him, and he rolled across the ground, barely avoiding it. His strength was fading, his legs hurting. _Damn... it's really been a while since I've felt human like this. _

**"Wind Style: Pressure Damage!"**

The masked creature gave a powerful blast of air, not at the boy, but rather right up into the sky. A moment later, the tendrils wrapped around the wind mask and seemed to squeeze. The creature gave an ear-splitting screech before collapsing into black goo, the mask crumpling into a million pieces.

"Kakuzu, what a waste of a shot!" Hidan yelled mockingly as he swerved around his now twenty pursuing shadow snakes. "You really are a crackshot, you know!"

From the other end of the battle, the Nara boy suddenly gave a sharp gasp and fell to his knees, trembling all over. The shadow snakes abruptly stopped and dissolved, fading away like ghosts. His arms wrapped protectively around his body and he groaned loudly, rolling onto his side.

_What? Kakuzu didn't even hit him, why's he suddenly so beat? _He raised a hand to shield his eyes from a sudden blaring light. _The Sun?_

"You said that your gravel cloud was enhancing your abilities," Kakuzu spoke up a few yards away, tearing off his now ruined Akatsuki cloak, now that it bore a large hole in the back. "I sacrificed the wind mask to break up the haze you were using as cover for your technique- with that gone and your jutsu still active, your chakra just plummeted with the sudden need to keep it going." He made the release seal with his hands, and his body lurched forward and grumbled as the three other masks broke free from his body.

"And that means you're in chakra shock," Kakuzu finished softly as his back sewed itself back together. "You're finished. You're not a front-line fighter, but you've dipped yourself in revenge and forgotten your strength lies in strategy, not combat." Hidan grinned, licking his lips in anticipation. _The kid's open to attack now. And I won't allow Kakuzu to take the credit this time, no not at all. Jashin demands blood, and I'll pay for that in full!_

The bot looked up, his eyes clouded with pain and anger. "You won't... be leaving here a third time... I swear it..."

Hidan walked up to him, dragging the scythe across the ground. Shikamaru watched him with dim yet resolute eyes. "Like master like apprentice, you don't understand when it's hopeless. You'll just vainly keep trying till you die. That what you want, to join your sensei in death?" He laughed again. "Can you explain why you keep going?"

"You'll never understand," the boy retaliated. "What a relationship is, will you? You and your partner can't even form a friendship, how can you expect to know what my real motive really is? You're just a killing machine, not even human anymore. How can you hope to understand when you don't know yourself?"

_Can't even form a friendship. Can't even form a bond. You're just a killing machine... but I'm _feeling _pain, I'm experiencing what it is to be human! How dare he! _But his mind darted back to their earlier fights. When the Nara boy had saved his two friends from being choked by Kakuzu, when the Wood Style shinobi had caught Kakashi's disabled body. Kakuzu had stood by and let him be decapitated, had allowed him to take the brunt of the battle even now. They were war partners, nothing more. Sasori, Deidara. Itachi, Kisame. The two Zetsus. They had each others backs, they respected each other. But Kakuzu and himself...

He looked over at Kakuzu, who was watching him expectantly. _He expects me to kill, like I always do. To be that killing machine that he knows. Maybe that's why we can't be friends, this kid is right. I'm no longer human enough to... have a bond like that?_

"Your great gift is your greatest impairment," Shikamaru continued hoarsely. "Your immortality gives you the freedom to live through pain or death, and because of that you can never understand others reactions to those feelings. You're a failed experiment-"

"Shut up-"

"All you have is your stupid god Jashin who tells you it's okay to go on living like this-"

"_Kid-"_

The boy shook his head. "I pity you."

He charged forward, dropping the scythe completely, wanting only to wrap his hands around the kid's little neck and wring it for insulting him, disgracing his code and body, for telling such a horrid truth he had kept down for so long-

_This is... what I'm supposed to do. To kill._

A shuriken pierced his outstretched left arm, coming from straight up. He ignored it, brushed it off swiftly. But two more quickly embedded themselves back in the same arm, and then a third in his right shoulder. He looked up and his jaw dropped.

_That's... a lot of shuriken._

The sky darkened again, but this time not from a gravel cloud. Shuriken, perhaps in the hundreds, were raining down like the punishment of an angry god. They covered a wide area, with Hidan and Shikamaru as the epicenter. The boy raised a meek hand to protect his face, but that soon became uneccessary. Two winding vortexes converged on him, knocking away any incoming metal. They scooped him away in an instant and took him away from Hidan.

He dropped to a knee and star after star struck him in his legs, arms, shoulder, head, back, tearing apart his cloak and skin. It was something even his immortality would have staggered to hold. He became similar to a porcupine, shrouded in a blanket of piercing metal. He didn't yell aloud, but he bit his lip hard enough to split it. This was two kinds of pain he could barely hold. For the first time, he felt himself slip into welcoming darkness...

XXX

**Kakuzu**

"Hidan!"

Hidan was definitely out of commission for the time being. Without his immortality, the shuriken storm would a least impair him for some time.

_And he's never had someone call him out like that. He'll be lucky if he even survives this._

His masks had converged around him, taking all the shuriken without problem, for they had no concept of pain or minor damage. It rained for perhaps twenty seconds before the jutsu stopped, and a scroll dropped to the ground as the sun beat through to them once more.

_A weapons scroll, very advanced at that. Looks like we've been discovered again._

Six standing shinobi stood before him amid the field of metal. Shikamaru was draped over an enormous white dog, that was growling quietly at Kakuzu.

"Looks like Neji was right in that this was where they were heading," said a kunoichi with two buns, one on each side of her head. "The Akatsuki responsible for attacking the village."

"The Konoha 11 is more than capable taking on this scum," said one of the others with red markings across his cheeks, smashing his left fist into his right palm. "Me and Akamaru can handle them, no problem."

"Don't be overconfident, Kiba," said yet another, a boy with a high collar and dark glasses. "These guys killed Asuma sensei, they're dangerous."

"And that's were gonna end it here!" _Ah, there's one I remember. The fat one from the previous battle, one of Sarutobi's students. _Kakuzu lowered his head and closed his eyes. _Six kids, all chunin rank, with unknown abilities. Hidan impaired. They also said 11, meaning there's possibly more of them in the background, looking for an opening. I have to divide them up and dissuade them from using collaboration techniques._

"There is never an end to how many irksome shinobi there can be," he commented aloud. "You all share a strong bond in this village, even towards the dead. I see that now. However, I also will not let you get in my way. Blood does not have to be shed today."

"Isn't this supposed to be the one with the temper?" said a very pale faced boy politely. "He seems to be acting quite the opposite."

_He's one of the ones that arrived as backup up for Hatake. And the pink-haired girl to. She has powerful strength, that much I know. How to use that to my advantage? _"There has been enough killing over one man's corpse," he replied aloud. "There doesn't have to be more. None of you have bounties on your heads; I see no need to kill any of you."

"He's afraid," scoffed the boy with red markings, the one called Kiba. "Let's just get him now, come on Akamaru!" The white beast gave a welcoming yelp and shrugged off Shikamaru's body. The two ran forward, then jumped. Kakuzu took on a defensive stance while his black masks spread out in a diamond formation behind him.

**"Fang over Fang!" **The boy and dog became two seperate whirlwinds, spinning at rapid speeds as their chakra manifested around them like a shell. If they hit him, it would be similar to being drilled into like a piece of ore in a mine-

Sudden movement at the other five forced his attention away. The girl with the buns had two large fuma shuriken in each of her hands, smoke clearing away from their summoning scrolls. _The weapons handler, the one who created the shuriken storm. _With a cry she hurled both of them at him. At the other four who spreading out around him-

_To many attack points, I have to let the masks fight independently. _He folded his hands together and felt his skin harden back into its rock hard exterior. The masks split up, the two fire masks going right, the earth going left.

In the corner of his eye he saw the shuriken were heading for his sides, having swerved around. He dropped onto his side and propelled himself around in a circle, swinging his hardened legs around to kick away the large shuriken. He felt them impact against his body and shatter. _One threat down. _He finished his ground spin by picking himself up by one hand, fixing himself back up to a kneeling position while still coming out of his spin.

"Gotcha!" The boy and his dog struck, but he already knew his defense had won. The momentum of his spin carrying him, he swung out with his right arm and caught first the boy, then dog, knocking them both swiftly out of the air. He finally stopped, smiling tightly beneath his mask. _That was some attack those two got, but my timing is better._

Off to the sides, the pink haired girl and pale faced boy were fighting the earth mask, dodging hardened clumps of earth and smashing those that they couldn't. The boy had summoned some sort of spectral, inky lion that he was riding and jumping, trying to claw the earth mask.

On the other side, the two fire masks were raining fire down on the boy with glasses and the sixth attacker, a dark haired girl who's eyes looked like they were wielding Byukugan. He was proven correct when with her hands, she disrupted bolts of fire with just her chakra. _The Hyuga Clan's Air Palm technique. And that boy... _

Black, writhing clouds were swarming around him, soaking up the fire chakra somehow. _Aburame clan. Looks like I have my work cut out from me._

"Hey, you're still fighting us, Akatsuki!" He whirled around in alarm at the close proximity of the voices, and he ducked a swing from the boy. However, the dog sank its canines into his left leg. He grunted and kicked the dog with his right, forcing it to let him go and sending it skidding away.

"Akamaru!" the boy shouted. "Why you little-" He dropped his elbow onto Kakuzu's head, and this time he couldn't move in time. He fell to the ground with another grunt, but quickly recovered by extending his hands forward and pulling himself back towards them. The ground smashed behind him from the boys next attack. _That wouldn't have been a good feeling for me._

The air on his right gave a gentle breath of alarm. He immediately hardened his left leg and kicked out, smashing yet another large fuma shuriken. A moment later, a bow staff lurched at him, and he caught it with his left hand. The girl with buns followed quickly, her fist coming at him like a piston.

_She's using the staff as balance and momentum. _He scissored his legs together, snapping the staff in half. Her attack faltered inches away from him, and he in turn brought his head forward. Their two foreheads clashed, and she cried out as his much thicker skull bounced her away.

However, she was far from done. Out of nowhere, two double sided kunai found their way into her hands, and she swiped at him furiously, almost instantly recovering. He ducked, swerved left, right, left again, dodging the sharp edges. He brought his hands together. **"Earth Style: Earth Trapdoor!" **The ground cracked and detached from itself, then swung up very much in the fashion of its name. It struck her head on, acting as a divider between them and giving him a moment of breathing space.

**"Fang over Fang!" **The wall shattered into a hundred pieces as the boy and his beast broke through it with their technique. He gave a quiet swear of disgruntlement as he jumped high into the air to avoid being hit, but he could already see the twin-sided kunai heading for him-

**"Wind Style: Pressure Repulsion!" **He gave a short burst of condensed air, and the kunai bounced away harmlessly.

_And right on time. _As he began to fall back to the earth, one of the fire masks soared through the air and caught him. He held on tightly to the alien exterior, hovering above the commotion below.

"Don't think you're out of our reach!" He looked left and saw the pale faced boy riding a great eagle, with the pink haired girl in tow. The creatures of the Earth Grudge Fear technique weren't built for agile flying, especially with him riding one of them. He sent a deadly wave of flame at the incoming duo to disturb their path, but they easily swerved above it.

"Cha..." The girl leaped from the eagle, aiming straight for him, fist drawn back-

_There's no time to avoid-_

"...CHA!"

XXX

**Hidan**

_What is this? Is this really death?_

He stood alone in an empty abyss of space, clothed in a simple white cloth. All alone...

_Where is this? Answer me, someone. _

He began to walk, although he had no idea what he was going towards. How long he walked he wasn't sure, but he never grew tired. This troubled him, and he began to jog. Nothing changed; the surroundings were black, his physicality unwavering. He ran in earnest, sprinting as hard as he could, going, going...

_NOWHERE! _

He stopped, breathing heavily without need. He swung his fists around, trying to hit something, anything, everything, but they sailed through emptiness. There was nothing there except himself. No Konoha-nin, no Kakuzu.

_Am I dead? _he shouted, though he could not hear his own words. _That's impossible, but I can't be unconsciouss either. Jashin's champion cannot be downed, he cannot be defeated! Not with Him by my side!_

"My dear champion stays true until the end."

He stopped instantly. _No..._

"Oh, yes." A bright light shined in the emptiness, hovering before him. "You've been faithful till the very end, Hidan."

_No way, you're... no, it's absolutely impossible._

"I am your God," said the light sharply, in a great, echoing voice that made the darkness shiver. "With me, everything is possible. Isn't that what you've always told yourself and Kakuzu? Then why do you doubt it when I stand before you."

_You just can't be here before me, it's... I just can't understand... why... why of all times, now? Why not when I did your deed and your work, but now when I've fallen and have failed?_

"Because you've told yourself over and over that I was watching. There was no need for me to appear then. Now, when you have failed, I come to rejuvenate your faith. Isn't that what you always thought?"

_This... this isn't right. I've failed, but you're complimenting me? Where is the rage, the hate that is promised for those who fail to carry out your will!_

"Hating my last disciple won't help me out," said the light soothingly. "How haven't you figured that out?"

_You told me to slaughter every disciple of your religion, how was that helping you out?_

"Because you wanted to be the only one, the unique one, in my service. Isn't that what you always told yourself?"

_Yes, it was, but I serve you! Shouldn't you have been telling me to help other ways? Recruit, instead of murder? Forget the Code of Jashin for a moment, Kakuzu was right- the goal should be to grow, not have only one person speaking and doing your word!_

"Don't you hold the Code of Jashin above Kakuzu's word, no matter how strong you thought his point? Isn't that what you always-"

_Stop. Why do you keep saying that? "Isn't that what you always told yourself?" What are you doing? Where am I?_

"We're in your mind. I am Jashin, and Jashinism is you."

Pause. Long. The darkness seemed to draw in on itself. _What?_

"I am Jashin, the Jashin _you _created. You wanted to be special, the center of attention. You put yourself into the ritual of immortality and chose to follow the Code. And when you thought the rest of the cult would only take away Jashin's attention, you subconsciously found reason to do so."

_You mean..._

"You are the only surviving Jashinist alive. Jashin is dead, yet he is you. _I _am you."

_No, the instinct in the woods, against the Nara boy. Something made me duck. And the immortality, that is a miracle. The rituals, the Code, the worship, it's all been for Jashin, for YOU!_

"You allowed yourself to believe in all that, you chose that. You chose to kill the Jashinists, because you wanted to be special, to sever bonds with humanity because of the way you thought it worked. And now, in your moment of self-doubt, when you wonder whether humanity was meant to be cast aside, you realize..."

_Realize what? Tell me, whatever you are-_

"I'm you. You know the answer. This "Jashin" you're talking to is just a manifestation of everything you've ever created and conceived about Jashin himself, if he even exists. You've created yourself, this killing machine that you've begun to despise." The light quivered, seemed to fade a little. "And all it took was finally coming close to dying to access the real, truthful portion of your mind."

_I don't believe it. I won't, I can't. This is a genjutsu-_

"You cannot escape yourself, me and I know that. Now, figure out whether you want to go back to living that life, of bliss for the sake of killing, or return to humanity."

_It's to much to choose, to big of a gap. So what if I built my life on this... this... whatever the fuck this is. It's who I made myself. No, I can't go back. I'm a killer, there's no way around it. No matter how much I want these bonds with being human, I can't go back._

"You tell yourself that. Over and over again. See, doesn't feel to good, does it? Cus it's a damn lie."

_What if..._

"Oh, how devious. You really think you can do it?"

_Maybe. It's all I can bring myself to. The pain is to much, the damage already done. Yes, no more lies. But not to much truth, either. Does that even make sense?_

"You tell me. Or, well, yourself. Now get back out there and make yourself proud."

XXX

**Kakuzu**

The punch was devastating and him directly in the left rib, shattering the bone. The air rippled around them both from the impact. He coughed out some blood that stained his mask, before he went shooting straight for the ground. His pulse grew weak, and his eyes shut...

When he awoke, he was in a wide crater. Two masks, one fire and the other earth, stood beside him. He knew what had happened, and with an angry snarl picked himself up from the ground.

"That's some punch you got, girl, but you'll have to do it three more times."

The six of them converged together. They were to much to handle at once, to much attention to be divided, taking away the masks from him, ruining his defenses. If they got the earth release one, he would lose the ability to protect his body again, and then he would really be in trouble.

_To think that once again, I'm being beaten by a bunch of children. The Great Kakuzu, who fought on par with the First Hokage, outmatched by boys and girls. It's disgusting, who would want to hire me then?_

"Give up, Akatsuki," said the boy from the Aburame clan. "You are skillful, there is no doubt of that, but you can't match all six of us..." His voice trailed off, suddenly distracted. The other five likewise widened their eyes, while the dog whined.

"He's... not so much alone anymore."

_Dear God... how?_

Hidan placed a bloody hand on his shoulder. "You've given my pal Kakuzu a tough time, I can see that. But now the tables are about to turn. You've never faced a more fearsome duo with such terrible combo's let me tell ya..."

"How are you even able to move," Kakuzu whispered, stunned. "You've got like a hundred shuriken sticking out of you, and your immortality isn't even fully active..."

"Nevermind that, Kakuzu," Hidan said strongly, as if he had only been stabbed by a toothpick. "It's time to finish this mission up, once and for all."

The confidence in his partners wasn't mocking, wasn't bragging. It was calm, determined, and firm. "What... happened to you? Death scare off your dark side?" He gave a weak chuckle, because his ribs were still damaged and the action made his whole left side burn."

"You could say that." Kakuzu blinked, but ignored the new change. _If he's ready to fight, then who am I to get in the way. _"Combination Z?"

"I can't think of anything more fitting, seeing as how we both just came back from death."

Hidan laughed. "Right, right."

"From the top, then."


	10. Chapter 10- Scattered Leaves Part 2

XXX

**Kakuzu**

Their strategy would need precise timing. Hidan was looking bolstered and lively, yes, but Kakuzu could see that beneath this awakened exterior, the fanatic was still exhausted. They couldn't hope for a prolonged battle.

_We got one shot, and that's it. If we mess up, we'll have to retreat._

"Not getting cold feet, Kakuzu?" Hidan called jovially from where he had walked over to pick up his scythe. He held up the weapon, letting the sun bounce off the red alloy. "Because I'm done letting these Konoha welps walk all over us!"

"Not at all," Kakuzu said smoothly, sighing at his partner's hubris. _Still the exuberant Jashinist. _"You know the plan. We take the trio out first." He nodded to where the boy with the dog, the Aburame boy, and the Hyuga girl had clustered off to the side. Their coordination was perfect; they were the only complete team on the field. The rest were mismatched friends and combination, thus making these three the prominent threat.

And therefore, the prime target.

"Distract the rest, wait for the signal."

"Right. Let's get the party going!" Hidan laughed mirthlessly, then bolted for the others. He would tie them up for a while; all Hidan had to do in this strategy was get them all riled up and fighting. An expert tactician would be arguing against the opposite, saying to strike when they were most tired.

But sixty years had given him a bit more to work with than an expert tactician. They knew their strategy, and the others didn't. They would be expecting the expert tacticians hypothesis; that's what counted.

**"Fire Style: Searing Migraine!" **He sent a colossal wall of flame at the trio, forcing them to direct their attention to himself.

In the center, he saw the familiar whirling masses of the dog and the boy coming at him. Their attack made their defenses stronger, they would be able to take the heat. The other boy and the girl would have to go around the sides of the attack, he knew. He had seen it countless times.

He crossed his arms as the boy and dog thundered towards him. He hardened his arms a moment before impact, wanting to use as little chakra as possible. The impact caused the ground around them to explode as the energy, unable to be absorbed by his body, instead traveled into the earth itself. The boy and dog recovered quickly, going left and right. Kakuzu responded by whirling around and striking the dog with his left leg, making it howl in pain. The boy dropped down on all fours, suddenly looking very animistic, gnashing his teeth at Kakuzu. And, out of the corner of his eye, he could see the girl appearing around the fading orange-

The boy leaped for his neck, while the dog went lower, obviously trying to divide his attention between the two, and then allow their comrades to hit him in his blind spot. He ducked his head and shot his arm up, catching the boy called Kiba square in the face and sending him up into the air. However, his arm followed him, extending up and grabbing him by the collar. With his other hand, he splayed his fingers and caught the mutt by the muzzle, snapping its dripping jaws shut. He spun around, building momentum, finally bringing both arms down and smashing both bodies into the ground.

"Someone's gonna need a trip to the vet, after this," Kakuzu commented. The two, however, still had plenty of fight left in them, however battered they were. And then the other two-

He smashed a foot into the ground, and behind him a wall of earth shot up. He heard a small _splat _as the incoming wave of insects, given away by their buzz, struck the hardened earth.

_I have to keep them on their toes, get them clustered again. _He turned and drove a hardened fist through the earth, breaking it apart. On the other side, the Aburame boy gave a surprised jolt, having been about to climb over it. Kakuzu dove through the cloud of bugs, feeling several leech onto his skin but ignoring it. His closed fist struck the boy full in the face, went through it as the body dissipated-

_Insect Clone. _He looked at his arms, where the bugs were swarming him in earnest. He looked to the sky as his chakra began to weaken. The fire mask answered his call, sending a hot cascade of flame. He felt the rest of his Akatsuki cloak shrivel up around him. However, the insects were also dying, burning away into crisps.

**"Eight Trigrams: Vacuum Palm!" **

He had a moment to give a gasp of surprise as he felt a tremendous pressure hit him in the small of his back, sending him flying forward. _She sneaked up behind me! _He went tumbling across the war-torn ground, straightening himself a few feet away. He guessed her position and shot out a hand immediately in retaliation. However, his hand only grabbed open air; she had already moved-

_To where I want her. _She was checking Kiba and Akamaru, thinking he was impaired enough for her to divert attention, meaning the bug boy was the last piece of his puzzle.

"You burned a lot of my insects," said the modulated voice below him. Kakuzu instantly stamped his foot again, causing the earth to crack around him as he sent his chakra running through it. However, there was no result. "Nice try, but my insects can absorb any attack you try."

"Any chakra- related attack," Kakuzu corrected, trying to feel where the boy was in the ground. "Your insects are parasitic, chakra feeding bastards. A very lethal combination, and very good usage of them by someone so young. You would have made a fine bounty one day."

"I'm flattered."

_There. _He struck his arm deep into the ground, and this time he felt something squishy. He grabbed, but all that came out were more insects.

"So you use them as a sort of shield?" he guessed, smashing any beetles on his arm.

"My defense and my offense, as so." From the hole he made, a tirade of bugs emerged like a volcano. He back-flipped away, gave a side look at Hidan. He was occupying the others as best he could, but his movements were significantly slower. His scythe came up and slashed open an inky duo of tigers, and then he was running from a stream of explosive tags.

"Don't let yourself get to distracted." The insects came again, like one sentient beast, and he jumped back again and again. _Come on kid, make an __appearance._

The ground ruptured behind him, and he knew that this time his wish had been granted. The Aburame boy was thinking he was distracted by the beetles, and wouldn't notice an attack from behind.

Kakuzu extended his arms and placed them on the boy's shoulders, then swung himself over the kid entirely, so that his hands were still on his shoulders, yet he was now behind.

"Nice try," he said, then squeezed, snapping the shoulder blades with a wet squishing sound-

_No, another clone?!_

The ground ruptured again, and this time the boy emerged, and kicked him straight in the face. Kakuzu went reeling, but his desperation to finish the strategy sharpened his retaliation. He shot out a arm again and grabbed the boy by the same leg that had hit him. As he swung the Aburame clan member, he squeezed, completely crushing the bones in that leg, aware that the insects were beginning to swarm his legs again.

He released the boy and sent him flying, and the insects left him, swarming out in a black cloud to catch their fallen master... right in the midst of the other two.

"HIDAN!"

There was no reply, but instead a deadly swooshing sound took over the battlefield -the scythe flying out towards the trio at neck height. He in turn began to run towards the trio, doing the hand signs necessary-

_I can't do the technique on a large scale without the Lightning Mask, but I can still do a smaller burst. And that'll be enough._

The sound had attracted the attention of the trio, and the girl put her hands on the two boys heads and shoved them down to the ground along with her own, out of harms way-

**"Lightning Style: False Darkness Current!"**

The beam of chakra shot out like a laser and struck the scythe when it almost directly swinging above their heads. The attack made a loud crackling sound that echoed throughout the entire village- a testimony to the devastation of their combo that was about to be unleashed.

The three humans screamed while the dog whined loudly as they became electrocuted for a brief, excruciating moment. The metal of the scythe, while having missed them, had acted as an electrical conductor for the lightning, amplifying the jutsu tremendously due to the strange nature of whatever alloy the scythe was made of. The three collapsed to the ground, hardly breathing. Their nervous systems were fried at the least; had he still possessed his Lightning Mask, they would have been killed. But with their brains were still a steamed mess, the chances of them being able to even speak again was low.

The scythe lost momentum a few seconds after the attack finished, clanging onto the ground. Hidan was running over to collect while the other four regrouped, still in obvious shock.

"Nice throw," Kakuzu said as his partner picked up the scythe. "Our timing was matched perfectly."

"Hey, our combinations are normally pretty good," Hidan replied offhandedly. "But we still have four..." he wheezed, almost doubling over from exhaustion. Kakuzu didn't need to be a sensory type to know Hidan was reaching his limit. And not just of chakra, the shuriken wounds were still fresh; Hidan had probably lost a pint of blood. "...four more to go. Let's finish this already."

The Fire and Earth Masks came over and stood idly beside them. The four chunin spread out in a phalanx, so that the two sides glared over at each other, waiting for the first move. The four steaming bodies had subsided into unconsciousness, for what little life they still clung to. Above them, two birds flew above, observing the climax of the fight.

Hidan chuckled. "They want us to make the next move."

Kakuzu didn't reply. He was studying their opponents. Was it him, or were the edges sharpened, darker? They seemed to shake with the slightest breeze, too. Something was a little off.

"Kakuzu, hit them with a big flame attack again. I'll run interference."

"Wait, Hidan." He narrowed his eyes, looking hard. Yes, distinct black edges. He looked up, and felt a familiar sense of deja vu, from when they had been caught by the Nara boy's shadow in their second fight. "We've been had... again."

XXX

**Hidan**

_Yeah I'm tired, but that doesn't mean I can sit down and relax. Gotta keep going and balance it. Keep things balanced, yeah._

"We've been had... again."

He shook his head, chuckling again. "That seems to happen a lot to us, doesn't it?"

"The ones in front of us are ink clones. Look up."

He did, and saw two birds flying overhead. From one, what looked like an enormous shit suddenly detached and fell towards them. "Well how do you like that, even the birds don't think to highly of us."

Kakuzu's arm had hardened again, with a notable look of strain on his face beneath the mask. _He's getting tired to. We can't hold out like this much longer. _"Look again, Hidan."

He did, and this time he realized that the incoming blob was much to big to be a turd. In fact, it was much to big to be even human...

**"Spiky Human Boulder!"**

_Oh great, they sent in fatso dressed as porcupine. _He shot a glance at Kakuzu. _He can't harden his body, he's to tired. So what's he gonna do with just his arm?_

The fat kid was coming in hot like a comet, and then he saw a pink blip appear behind him. _The girl from the forest, the one that packed a punch. What are they gonna do?_

"You're not the only one with combinations!" shouted the fat boy from his rapidly spinning mass of hair. "Hit me, Sakura!"

"Right! **Cherry Blossom Impact!" **Hidan blinked in surprise as the girl drew back her arm and smashed it into her teammate. _What the hell is she doing, that'll kill him!_

_No, wait-_

The boy, already coming in high speed, was suddenly bolstered forward even faster as the tremendous punch hit him. Hidan had a chance to open his mouth into an _O _of amazement before the kid, originally a hundred yards in the sky, pelted at them within a microsecond.

The result was a detonation of power as the kid hit Kakuzu head on, and suddenly Hidan was showered in blood and earth. The girl gave a shriek of horror as she touched the ground a few yards away.

_A feast that would have been worthy of Jashin... had he existed, _he thought, feeling deflated. _But what the hell happened._

The dust of the impact cleared, finally giving him a clear image. The fat kid -_Choji, right, poor kid- _was dead, impaled on Kakuzu's literally rock solid arm. The tips of Kakuzu's fingers jutted out of the center of the kid's back, shining red dimples. The boy gave a death shudder and vomited blood onto Kakuzu's shoulder, and his partner gave a disgusted sigh and pushed the boy off with his other hand.

_That jutsu never ceases to disappoint. _There was a crunch of earth a few meters away from him, and he raised his scythe in reflexive defense. The girl was running at him, having already overcome the sudden death of her partner. She raised her fist to land a devastating blow, but he grinned and raised the scythe like a shield. Her first connected with the middle blade, and he felt his ears ring with the clang of the metal resisting her strike. To his shock, however, he saw a crack form, almost in slow motion, running from the point of impact and zig-zagging to the base.

"You son of a bitch-" He gave a piston-kick to her, which she took with a grunt, then flipped away. He came slashing after her, vigorously trying to get a nick of blood. But her moves were nimble and swift, dancing out of reach of his swings. He snarled as his tool missed her throat by a mere inch. "Just hold still-"

She smirked and dropped down. He followed her gaze, but was soon attracted up again as a large, inky tiger jumped over her, jaws gaping to bite into his own throat. He held up his arm and the beast gnawed into, tackling him to the ground. He gave it a powerful kick and sent it away, but his surroundings were getting woozy and hazy. _Can't slow down, can't let up._

The tiger had turned around and was coming back for him. He shook his head, readied himself-

"Move'n'Toss!" He rolled to the left, out of Kakuzu's flight path. Kakuzu's fist plowed into the beast and destroyed it, causing it to dissolve into an inky mess. But before the black pool had settled, they were already in their next phase. _First step done, now for the toss._

On his right, he could hear the pink haired girl approaching again, along with a second pair of footsteps, the weapons master. _Make it count, Kakuzu._

His partner's arm had shot out towards him, and he grasped it firmly with both hands. With an exasperated yell, he heaved in his partner and began to turn. Kakuzu swung past him like a rock on the end of a rope being swung around. The girls realized a moment before he had let go what was going to happen, and they jumped as Hidan released his partner, causing Kakuzu to shoot at them like a bullet. Much to their disadvantage, Kakuzu's Fire Mask was already waiting for them from above. It sent a cascade of flame that swallowed the duo in an instant.

_"GAH!" _He looked down as he saw the sharp steel enter through the middle of his chest. He heard the labored, masculine breathing of the pale faced boy, and he shot his elbow behind him. The kid took the blow but recovered quickly, drawing out a kunai and running straight back at him. He turned sluggishly, feeling the abnormal protrusion in his chest.

_If I still had my fucking power, I wouldn't even need to be thinking about this! _A dark thought crossed his mind. _But if Jashin didn't exist, then how can I even be sure my invincibility even existed, without his blessing being real?_

The kunai stabbed him in the shoulder and pulled out again. He knocked away another thrust and pushed the boy away with his right hand, buying him a second of breathing space. The kid didn't even slow down, aiming to stick the kunai in his lungs.

_It hurts so badly, fuck. This pain, is it real? Jashin said pain was good, and that pain could only feel good to his Chosen. But if he didn't exist, then what was real? How am I supposed to piece together everything if everything WAS A LIE-_

"JUST GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" He shot his hand forward, passing straight through the incoming kunai knife. It split his hand wide open and sent out a spurt of red, but it knocked away the blade. He had a second to look at the surprised boy's face before his fist slammed into his face, smearing the white canvas with red paint.

He screamed wildly at the pain and clutched his hand in agony, watching the blood stream at an unprecedented rate. He raised it to the sky and yelled at nobody, anybody, someone to understand, to help. "GOD DAMMIT!"

XXX

**Kakuzu**

The fight was over. He could tell by the way the pink-haired girl, the one that had already begun medical ninjutsu on herself and was therefore the least injured, was breathing laboriously. She stooped and dragged her friend off to the side. He watched, curious. _Why is she still helping her? She should be focusing on herself, she's the only one who can still fight. _

He looked at his blood encrusted right hand and wrinkled his nose. _I didn't mean to kill him. I only meant to divert the blow, but the sensation was just to familiar, to tempting. _He looked back at her. "Enough of this, it's over. Tell me where Asuma Sarutobi is, and we will be on our way."

She set her friend down and turned to face him. "You'll be on your way?" she asked, disbelieving. "What do you really want?"

"Sarutobi," he repeated. "I want the bounty on him. Tell me where he is."

She shook her head. "Not going to happen. You've taken enough people away from us, now you want to go after our dead? You Akatsuki are no different from the ones from before. All you can think about is power and profit."

_Ah, that's right. She's the one that killed Sasori. _"Irrelevant," he said shortly. He took a menacing step forward. "Tell me where he is, or I'll ring your pretty neck until your life has been wasted all over the ground."

Again, she laughed. "I'm not letting you rip away another person from the village," she said, her voice hollow.

_How can she be so dedicated to one already dead? _he thought in bewilderment. _This village is to strange. So much dedication and waste of life, all for the protection of someone that is already gone. _"Your ties are... admirable," he said carelessly, hardly knowing what he was saying. "Tell me where Sarutobi is!"

"Tell me where Naruto is," she retorted, but Kakuzu caught a slight catch in her voice, something he didn't like. It was like she was concealing something, but what he couldn't guess. The fight was over, and the jinchuuriki stashed and locked away. He shook off the feeling.

"Your bargaining position is without footing; you're already tottering on the edge of the cliff. You've sidetracked us enough and you've lost, _where is Sarutobi?_"

Again, she only laughed. Incensed, he pointed a finger at the body of her friend. "Tell me where he is, or they start to die!"

_There! What is with these people and this, this, this friendship? _Her eyes had gone wide, concerned. She had bitten her lower lip, suddenly fearful. _These ties, they shouldn't be existing. Is this what it would have been like, had I stayed in Takigakure? This desperate, nonsensical feeling of companionship? How can she have no care for her own life, yet flinch at the slightest harm to her companions? In this obstinate, backwards village?_

"Why?" he asked awkwardly. "Why do you care so much about them? Why do you put them before yourself, instead of using their lives to further yourself?"

"Why do I care about my friends?" she said quietly."

The curiosity, this strange question about to be answered. All his life, battle after battle, using every life around him to his advantage. Partners in hunting and Akatsuki, used up like batteries and spent as easily. So many bounties he had seen doing the same. Yet this village, what made them break this hidden code?

"Because these people give me something to fight for, and this gives me strength," she said simply. "They make me who I am."

He stood there, silent, waiting for more. "That's it?"

She laughed. "Is it so hard to understand? Maybe it is. You're monsters, you've never had a relationship and you probably never will. You broke bonds with your village, what do you expect? Other people make you who you are, and because you didn't have that, you turned into a shell of a person."

Slowly, he looked at his bloody hand. _A monster... that's all they've said of me. The killer, the hunter. And look at me. Even though I swore to kill only by necessity now, I still killed that boy. If I had these bonds, would I have done differently?_

"Now tell me where Naruto is."

_The quiver in her voice. _This would have to wait. These bonds, however curious he was about them, they would have to wait once more. The possibility of having one, of this "strength" she mentioned, was enticing. _But the catch in her voice._

"The jinchuuriki is hidden away, and this is no time to be bargaining," he said forcefully, taking another step forward. "If you do not tell me where Sarutobi is, your friend is going to die." For emphasis, he solidified his left arm into a solid spear.

She shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. _"Tell me where he is!" _she choked out. "Give us back our friend!"

"_Now, or she dies!"_

_"Give us-"_

"Wait, Sakura."

He paused, momentarily lost for words. "Still haven't had enough?" he asked when he found his tongue again.

"No, we have," Shikamaru said. "Asuma is buried over there." He pointed off into the distance, and Kakuzu detected a note of regret in the boy's voice, veiled by some strange determination. _He's not lying this time. Good._

Sakura was looking at her friend in shock. "B-but Shikamaru-"

"No more lives have to be spent on him, Sakura," he said shortly. "We already lost Choji... I don't want to lose anyone else. Asuma wouldn't want more people to die for his sake. We can pay these Akatsuki back one day, when we're stronger, better organized." He looked back at Kakuzu, and in his eyes, he saw something shimmering. _Chakra? What sort of power is that? _"They've won today, but we'll have tomorrow."

"Fine words, kid," said a serious voice behind Kakuzu. _About time, but jeez when did Hidan sound like that? _"You gonna back them up with actual force next time?"

Shikamaru curled his hands into fists. He was shaking in place, his anger just beneath the surface.

"You got fire in your eyes, kid," Hidan said carefully. He sounded, much to Kakuzu's shock, almost afraid. "It's that thing you told me in the forest, isn't it. Your..."

"My Will of Fire," the boy said weakly, his voice cracking. The anger was being replaced by sorrow. "No, it was a lie. This is the Will of Shikamaru. I believe in myself now." He looked Hidan dead in the eyes with a fierce intensity. "The Will of Fire was a lie to make me think I could do anything as a boy. But with this, I'm a man with a goal. And my goal is to kill you, someday. For everything you've taken away from me-"

"You're wrong."

The air seemed to go silent, as if listening to. The boy if anything was doubtless confused. "What? Wrong about what, you bastard?"

"Your Will of Fire... is real."

_What the hell did he just say? Is this-?_

"Protecting others does give you strength, it gives you a sense of purpose," Hidan said, his voice monotone. He sounded like an old man, finally realized the mistakes of his youth. "All this time, I believed in one thing, and only now do I realize it was myself. I ignored everyone around me and invested only in myself. I had my Will of Hidan, not Jashin."

_Not Jashin?_

"You're insane," Shikamaru spat. "What are you even talking about?"

"I did wrong!" Hidan said loudly, quelling the boy again. "I lied to myself, told myself only I was important, instead of other people! Don't do what I've done- what would your sensei think of you, looking at his student swamped by revenge!"

"Raving," Shikamaru breathed. "You're more insane than I thought."

"Hidan?" Kakuzu said roughly, trying to break whatever spell had been placed on his parnter. "What's happened to you? Is this genjutsu? What the hell is the matter?"

"The truth is what the matter is," his partner said heavily. "But that can wait for after. Let's get Sarutobi and get out of here-"

"Sakura, they found him, they have him!" The pale faced kid was limping over, holding up a scroll with a blinking symbol, his face shining with radiance. "Neji's found the place where they have him!"

"Sai, shut up, not here-"

_What's this? _

"He's in the abondoned worship center, on the outskirts! He's locked up by some sort of jutsu, he's in a bad state-"

"The jinchuuriki," Kakuzu breathed, catching on. _That was the catch in her voice, she was stalling for time while another group tracked down the jinchuuriki. No, this whole fight has been a diversion!_

"We've been had," Hidan said grimly.

"That's my line."

He shrugged. Kakuzu slapped his partner in the face, and his features grew angry, just like the old Hidan. "What the fuck was that for?"

_"They're going after the jinchuuriki, you idiot!"_

The girl was getting on a large ink bird, as was the pale faced boy. He did a hand sign and the Fire Mask landed clumsily next to him. It sent a volley of fire balls at the bird, but once in the air, it avoided them all easily. In a matter of seconds, it was beyond the gates and a speck in the distance.

In the direction of the abandoned Jashinist center.

"Well, what now?" Hidan asked, his voice frustrated. "The boy or Saruotobi?"

"Sarutobi," Kakuzu said instantly. "They'll have a hassle removing the chains you placed on him; that buys us time. Let's make this quick."

"Right..." Kakuzu turned, and saw that Hidan was again looking at Shikamaru, who was bending over the lightly breathing weapon girl. "And what about you?"

"The hell do you care?" Shikamaru shot back fiercely. "I'm not your friend, I'm your enemy! I don't even know why you're bothering to spare me. You really are nuts."

"Maybe I am," Hidan conceded. "But I'm learning to be less nuts."

"Great. Fuck off."

"Your sensei..." he seemed to be struggling with his words. The boy looked up at him, eyebrows raised. "Your sensei... was... a good man." He brought out finally. "He taught you well."

Shikamaru did not reply, just looked at him with dumbfounded eyes. It seemed that it was the last thing he was expecting. Indeed, considering they were about to dig up his grave. Kakuzu facepalmed. _What the hell are you even doing a this point, trying to say you're sorry. _The earth mask landed next to him, and he flashed the release seal. The two masks slammed into his back. molding themselves back into him.

"I'll look forward to fighting and killing you, too, someday," Hidan said brightly, flashing Shikamaru a crooked smile. "It'll be a fight I'll look forward to."

"You... to?" the boy said, not really sure if this was reality or not. Kakuzu could only imagine what he must be thinking. _Is the man I just promised to kill... actually giving me gratitude?_

"Let's go, Kakuzu." He nodded and they took off running. He couldn't help but stare at his partner, his eyes searching.

"What the hell was that? What are you doing?"

"I'm fixing things, kinda. It's the first thing I should do as the new me."

"New you? What?"

Hidan laughed, and it actually made Kakuzu flinch. "I'm a crooked man, Kakuzu. I can only fix things in my broken way. I can't lean to far to one side, or the jagged edges will cut into me. No, I've fixed myself with duct tape and string, like a kid in school. It's the best I can do, and it's what I'll have to be satisfied with."

Pause. "The Nara boy's right. You _are _nuts."

He shrugged. "At this point, I'll take it as a compliment."


	11. Chapter 11- Bond

XXX

**Kakuzu**

Two shadows walking among a land filled with light. The only normal ones in the backwards village of Konohagakure. How long would their journey take them, when they reached the end? The urgency to return to the jinchuuriki was apparent, what with a squad having already located the boy. Yet, there was no motivation to rush. They walked in silence, as they had often done, towards the grave of Asuma Sarutobi. But now the silence seemed fragile, like a thin sheet of ice.

"Stop, let me sew you up," he said.

"Right." He extended his sliced open hand, and the wire slowly wrapped the torn skin closed. The blood stopped flowing, and the wires traveled down to the slit in his stomach, where the artist had stabbed his partner through. The wound closed as the wire came tight.

"Let's go."

"Right."

_Is it the village itself? _he thought. _Is it something about this place that's changing us? This strange country with strange shinobi? I don't know._

He looked at his partner, who was showing such different qualities. The calm nature in his fighting, his almost respectful tone towards Shikamaru, and then what was that about Jashin? It was all to sudden and created an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach.

He looked to his left. The stone faces of the past and present Hokage almost seemed to glare down at him. Hashirama's definitely seemed to be frowning- could he be frowning on the destruction he had once again caused to the village?

"Look, Kakuzu." Hidan was trying to talk, but he was having difficulty making words. "I suppose you're probably what that was back there."

"A bit."

They began sloping upward. Their journey was taking them to an open pasture, and he could see tombstones. Their moment of triumph was upon them, and Kakuzu guessed Hidan had realized there might not be another opportunity to talk for some time. "I know this will sound strange considering everything you know about me, but I'm kind of... done with Jashin at the moment."

_He's what? _Of everything that had happened, this was the most shocking. There was no one more dedicated to their religion than Hidan, no one coming even close to his insane thoughts. He couldn't even make a reply.

It was like he could read him. "I know it's a surprise," he continued slowly. "But during that fight, I think... I think I met myself, my conscious. Something I haven't paid attention to in a long time. It told me some stuff that got me thinking about all this..."

"Stuff like what?" he asked, keeping the curiosity out of his voice.

"And I don't think Jashinism is the answer for me anymore," Hidan ran on, ignoring the question. "But at the same time, I can't leave it. Does that make sense?"

"No, it doesn't."

He sighed deeply. "It's like I said before... I have to repair myself in my own crooked way. I let myself get to soaked in Jashinism and I can't let it go, no matter how much I want to. It's apart of who I am now, that part of me that'll always be after blood."

Kakuzu was silent, thinking about it. He was almost the same, he could see the images. All those years of senseless hunting, a lack of morals. Kurtz was right, he could finally see it. He had never held morals among the hunters, among Akatsuki. And now, when he finally wanted to kill only for necessity, the urge to kill the boy Choji has been irresistible.

_Killing has become like a drug, _he commented to himself. _We can't stop if we want to. There'll always be that portion wanting more. _"Then we just need to control ourselves to the best we can," he said aloud. "I understand what you mean, Hidan, in my own way. I'm sorry that you feel the feeling, too."

He blinked, tripped. He had almost tripped over a plaque embedded in the ground. They had been talking for some time; they were in the thick of the cemetery.

"Let's get looking," he said, but Hidan didn't move. There was a faint smile playing on his lips. He looked him over. "What is it?"

"Did we actually just a conversation?"

He pondered the question. How unnatural, for two people to have to decide whether they had actually been able to talk normally. "I suppose we did." He allowed his eyes to wander among the gravestones. Eventually, he found the prize. "What does it matter?"

"You know why it matters." Hidan rolled up his tatered sleeves, then with a wrinkled nose just tore them off entirely. "All this time we've been hearing the same shit, and I know you've been thinking about it to."

Kakuzu stuck a hand into the soft earth, pouring his chakra into it. The ground rumbled in displeasure, as if unwilling to give up its contents. He grunted and poured more in, feeling exhaustion creep into his lungs and his breathing became labored. With a groan of apology, the earth parted and a coffin shoved its way to the surface. He eyed it with anticipation, losing track of Hidan's words.

"They said we couldn't make a bond, that we couldn't go beyond being partners." The lid of the coffin came off with a loud crack. A thin, white shroud was all that stood in their way.

"Well, I'd say that we've both changed from when we first captured the jinchuuriki. Who cares if it was this Land changing us, that change is going to follow us on the way out."

He sighed. "Can you not see that we're about to accomplish the entire reason we came here?"

Hidan folded his arms. "I'm in the middle of a philosophical lesson here, Kakuzu, I think we can wait five more minutes."

_The stubbornness never changes. _He took off the shroud, and there he was. Sarutobi, definitely paler and the burn marks still as fresh as ever. The eyes were closed, the body relaxed with the arms folded. But what was most peculiar was an almost invisible smile on the lips, as if he knew his killers had not won their race yet.

Hidan peered into the coffin. "Huh, he still managed to die with a smile on his face. Funny how that works."

"Yes." He grabbed the body and heaved it onto his shoulder. The body flopped imperiously, and was cold and clammy where their skin touched. He had heaved his share of corpses into the office, but this one felt so much more... significant. And it just wasn't the money anymore, Hidan was right. The journey to get Sarutobi had changed them, this land and the shinobi in it had changed them, and now they had finally met that whole reason they went through those changes.

Kakuzu was not an spiritual man. But when he looked up into the sky, finally clear of smoke and instead of clear blue, he could help but wonder if Sarutobi had, even in death, was smiling as he finally defeated his two killers. The original duo was gone, the murderers who held no feelings for killing and did it with pride and glee. Now they were experiencing what it was to know mortality, what a bond felt like.

He reached up and grabbed the frayed remains of his mask. He smiled back up, wondering if Sarutobi could see his gratitude.

"Time to go, Hidan," he said aloud.

XXX

**Hidan**

So they went off, two friends. Though Kakuzu hadn't said it, he could tell they were finally on the same page.

_The Code of Jashin stated to never hold a bond, romantic or friendly or neighborly, but we did it. And now it's up to me to reform Jashinism... maybe the first rule should be to have a friend?_

The possibility delighted him.

The ruins of the village were behind them, and it would be awhile before they released Kakuzu and himself had fled the scene. No doubt chaos would reign for a few more hours, and then the waves of jonin and ANBU would return and quell the disruption.

Now all they had to do was stop the chunin who had gone after the junchuuriki.

"How much can those chains hold him, Hidan?" Kakuzu asked casually as they jumped from tree branch to branch.

"They can withstand quite a lot," he said after a moment's thought. They were able to completely restrain me, and they're made of pure chakra as well, meaning they can't be broken by ordinary means. It'll take quite the attack to break the links."

Kakuzu nodded, not looking back at him though. They had to keep going without stop. Who knew how much time had passed since they began working on those chains, and how long until they _did _find an extraordinary attack?

_And what do we do when we meet them? We can't fight anymore. These guys'll be rested and we'll be sitting ducks. _He grimaced in frustration. _Damn, things aren't getting any easier for us, are they?_

The trees whipped by them as they went across the branches, brown and green tracing their journey. For the first time, he found himself appreciating this life. All these wonderful colors and scents that he had never paid attention to before, all rushing by. The foliage had always been something he considered as apart of battle; camouflage, a loose branch to chuck, a bundle of leaves to rustle for a distraction. Now, he was seeing it as something different-

_Could the loss of the immortality technique be at the heart of it? Was it holding me back somehow? _He still needed to perform the ritual, he had grown to use to the barbaric tactics it allowed for him to cast it aside along with the old Jashin. But if it was going to cost him this wonderful appreciation for everything...

_Would it even turn me away from Kakuzu again?_

_I have to mend myself in my own crooked way. _Yes, that's what he had said. The urge to kill was ever present, he would never truly change from that. But how crooked with this change be? The revamping of everything about him, how serious would he go?

"Hidan."

"Y-yeah?"

Kakuzu was looking back at him, his eyes steely. "You're right, y'know. They did say we couldn't do it, that we couldn't make a bond. I don't know how long I told myself I wanted nothing to do with you, how much I believed a bond was impossible with who we were. But in the end, after all this, I do consider you my friend."

"I... thanks, Kakuzu."

"I don't know what's going on in your mind about Jahsin, but I can tell it's serious. When we get out of this..." he seemed to mentally brace himself, his almost lip less mouth struggling to make the words. The first real words of sincerity. "We can try to pull you through it."

The doubt was erased. He wouldn't have to do anything alone anymore. Jahsin had been there for him before, when he needed violence and hate. Now Kakuzu was here here for those things in battle, but now with supplemental warmth outside of that.

The trees were thinning, signs that they had been cut, probably for construction. Probably for a building out in the middle of nowhere.

"Thank you, Kakuzu," he said seriously. He put a hand on his scythe handle, ready to draw it perhaps one final time. _Who knows, we might not even get out of this. But it's nice to know the sentiment was real at last. _"But time to finish the mission."


	12. Chapter 12- The Monsters Converge

**Thank you for the recent reviews, I do read and appreciate them. On the topic of missing words, I know my grammar skills are slightly out of wack when I write, so I'll go back and look through the chapters and fix what I see later on. Thanks for pointing this out Murithemagnificant!**

**Now, back to the story (~three chapters left +Authors note)**

XXX

**Hidan**

The trees parted for them as they reached the clearing. They were immediately notified they were not alone by the appearance of the pale-faced boy from the previous battle, along with the inky white bird he had arrived on.

"You two got here fast," he commented sincerely. "But we're taking Naruto back now."

Hidan shook his head. "Get outta the way, kid, before we make you." Kakuzu stepped forward as well, menacing, his arms folded behind his back.

The other didn't budge, simply looked them each up and down. "Neither of you can fight anymore," he observed calmly. "Your chakra is near zero, and you used up what remaining stamina you had left running as fast as you could here. You've lost." His eyes found their way to Sarutobi's molested corpse, and his eyes registered distress. "And I will have to ask for Asuma Sarutobi back."

Neither side made a move. Any more words would be falling on deaf ears, and every precious moment wasted meant another moment they could free the kid-

The ground split directly below the pale-faced kid's face. He looked down in surprise, the first emotion Hidan could recall seeing, before Kakuzu's extended hand shot out and gripped his throat. The giant inky bird cave a _caw _of alarm and made to take flight, but he was already meeting it halfway. It had soared a foot off the ground before the scythe had descended into its neck, causing it to dissolve into nothingness.

Gurgling, panting for breath. The pale faced kid clutched his throat a few more seconds before he went limp. _Did he really just kill him? _He walked up to him, checked for a pulse. _Good. _Faint, but legible beating in the neck.

"I already know, Hidan." Kakuzu picked up their silenced opponent and tossed him over at a tree. He hit the trunk with a loud _smack _and rolled down onto the forest floor, out of the way. "But wait, you're not going to use your ritual on him? Now would be a good time, if you'd ask me." His tone was serious. Kakuzu wasn't any fool, he knew how weak they were at the moment. Who knew how many awaited them below?

"No..." he replied slowly. "I have to prove I'm better than what I was before, or else this whole thing is a fluke. Does that make sense?"

"Sure."

His lip was busted, but he curled it into a small smile. "Let's get down there."

They entered the old rickety building. Below them, a strange sound suddenly howled out. _The hell is that? Not human, that's for sure._

He already had a feeling deep in his gut as to what it was. But he was unwilling to believe it, so he casually looked back at Kakuzu as they reached the ladder that went into the depths. "A Summoning, you think?"

Kakuzu didn't reply. He seemed to be mentally bracing himself for the worst. He flopped Sarutobi on the ground and covered him with one of the old benches that had seated Jashin's faithful. He turned back and clasped a hand on Hidan's shoulder. The movement was so unexpected and warm that he flinched. Kakuzu still didn't speak but held the pose, his eyes boring into Hidan's.

"I'm sorry this sooner," he said at last, his voice as sincere as the pale-faced boy. "Perhaps I was a coward to long, afraid of experiencing emotion, only able to do it in the face of death. There is my biggest flaw. Enthusiasm, pleasure, compassion, they were all stripped of me after my ridicule for failing to kill the First Hokage. I found solace in money, something that could give me anything- or so I thought." He took his hand off and looked down into the hole. From it, there was a faint red glow emitting, as well as faint, worried voices. "It couldn't give me someone to bond with. I'm sorry I didn't realize this earlier."

_Whoosh. _His stained shirt flapping, he jumped into the depths.

"Yeah... same," he said to himself. It was the last he had expected from his partner, even with their new found friendship. A speech of encouragement, or bravado, of congratulations for taking in Sarutobi. But no, instead they were the first sincere words from his partner's mouth

And they could well be his last.

Laughing, he followed his partner into hell.

XXX

**Kakuzu**

The first thing he noticed was the last thing he had wanted to confirm. The dark red glow was emitting from the still contained jinchuuriki, red chakra bubbling from all around his body. The boy himself was still intact, though the youthful, warm features had given way to animistic ferocity and anger. Most striking were the absence of the ocean blue eyes, once so determined and friendly, now scarlet and glaring with uncontrolled rage and hatred. Two bubbling, clear red tails emerged from behind him, and as Kakuzu met his gaze, he howled ferociously, causing the very chamber to shake, and its other occupants to cover their ears.

Now he drew his gaze, as hard as it was, away from the emerging monster to the other three occupants of the room. One, a long haired boy with pale eyes, was huddled against the wall. A scary pool of blood was forming around him, while his left arm laid some feet away in it's own forming pool. Another young kid, in a chunin jacket and green leggings with enormous eyebrows, was talking urgently to his wounded friend, urging him to stay awake. Finally, the pink haired girl was also on the ground, lying against one of the obsidian pillars, her head lolled to her chest. A small trail of blood leaked from her forehead and down into her lap.

_Thump. _Hidan landed behind him, and he took in the situation quickly. He began to walk forward towards the beast, but Kakuzu put out a hand to stop him. "We can't fight it," he said tiredly. "We need to get out of here."

Hidan shoved off his hand and ran forward, but not towards the beast. Instead, he ran towards the dying boy and his friend, while the jinchuuriki eyed him maliciously, gnashing his canine teeth at him. Kakuzu gave a moment of thought, then jumped after him.

"What's going on?" Hidan was asking. The bushy browed boy, startled by their sudden appearance and recognizing them both, stooped to a defense position. Kakuzu saw that he was also injured; a huge blood slash ran from his left cheek all the way down to his ribs.

"Lee, don't," breathed the limbless kid. "It's pointless."

"But, Neji-"

"It's pointless..." The boy seemed to gather himself, stood up straighter against the wall. His paling face took on an eerie red glow as the monstrous chakra emitted all around them. "We tried to free Naruto from the chains you placed on him," the boy said more strongly, answering Hidan's question. "I tried to dismantle the chakra chains with my Eight Trigrams, but instead I only awoke Naruto- and apparently the monster inside." He coughed out a mouthful of blood, struggled to speak. His voice was getting softer. "We tried a double attack, but we only weakened the bonds and then got... hit."

Hidan stood up, looked over at the girl. "And her?"

"She said that if she could talk to Naruto, he would calm down," the one called Lee said. "As you can see, she didn't fair much better than we did."

"But he's only got two tails," Kakuzu argued, trying to recall the information the Leader had given them. _Oh man, the Leader. He's gonna be pissed... can't be helped now. _"He should still be in control of his body this early on, what she did should have gotten through to him. Especially a kid as nice as he is..."

Hidan seemed to freeze. A wide, fake smile crept on his lips, as crazy as he had originally been.

"Kakuzu... do you remember what I told you about these chains, and why they would be so effective on this kid?"

He remained silent. Something in his partner's tone suggested there was about to be trouble. Again, the jinchuuriki howled loudly, and the dark black and red chains seemed to shiver in fear, clanging and shaking ceaselessly. They wouldn't hold him much longer.

"These chains draw out negative emotions, subduing emotions such as hope, happiness, and justice. They're designed to make the captive feel hopeless in escape, binding them physically and mentally to capture. And they did their job... but I didn't anticipate the effects on the Nine-Tails inside."

_No... he can't be saying..._

"The Nine-Tails is feared because of its hatred for humanity right? It thrives on darker emotions and feelings. So when we crushed Naruto's positive side, it allowed the monster's negative side to emerge in his place. What we have chained up isn't this kid anymore... the beast is in full control, and its power is only going to increase. Eventually, it will fully escape from the seal it was placed under."

"Unless we stop it now," Kakuzu concluded, also standing up. It wasn't Hidan's fault, how could any of them know this would be the result of the chains? _But now we don't really have any choice except to try and subdue the Nine-Tails now, or else it'll rampage and the Akatsuki won't have any more chances to capture him. The Leader will already be furious when he hears about out visit to Konohagakure, but if we lose the jinchuuriki..._

The Leader was perhaps the only person he feared, next to the First Hokage, who couldn't even count anymore. His wrath if they failed in this would be catastrophic.

"So... this is all your fault then?" the bushy browed kid said angrily, his whole body shaking. "You turned my friend into this monster!"

"What else could you expect, Lee?" whispered the dying boy, his body shrinking back against the wall into his red bath. "Now grab Sakura and run. There's nothing more you can do here except get killed. Go... go and run for help..."

"Neji, what about you?"

He smiled. "You were a good friend, Lee. Now get going..."

Hidan unlatched the scythe from his back, obviously trying to blot out the other two. "Kakuzu, while the jinchuuriki is still bound and only has two tails. I'll go left and try to get some blood, you go right and distract it."

_Good as plan as any. _He nodded and ran forward, preparing to fully release the masks and his body into his long-rage form. Doing so would probably kill him at this point, the chakra exerted to maintain the form tremendous, but it was their only shot. He felt his body splitting and the masks emerging as the gray tendrils emerged from every area.

The boy watched his approach idly, the black-rimmed mouth curled into a small smile, tempting him to move. It was definitely the beast in control.

"Get ready, Hidan!" He lashed out with two huge gray extensions, seeking to wrap them around the jinchuuriki's body. From the body, two orange, pure chakra extensions emerged to counter. The four clashed in midair, causing a great vibration of power to be felt in the room. Kakuzu watched in frustration as his extensions became to fizz and melt away.

_The chakra is so pure and malevolent, it's affecting my body structure? _He retracted his extensions, but the monster's followed him. He jumped into the air, but still they followed him, seeking to stab, to maim, to kill. He rolled and dodged, letting his more gray tendrils to lash out and block, and to melt away.

"_HAAAA!" _Hidan's wild yell sounded as he jumped into the air behind the beast. He slashed down with the scythe, about to rip into it's back-

The attack stopped as the red tips struck the red chakra extension. Kakuzu landed onto the ground and stared. _It's protecting him? This isn't anything like with Fu or Yugito, the beasts themselves emerged and we fought them, easy. But the monster in this state is able to freely mold its chakra with transformation, as if it was a jutsu! And now, into some sort of armor?_

_Crack. _The middle scythe piece, where a small crack had formed from his fight with Sakura, split again, and this time it broke off, leaving the scythe with its upper and lower teeth. Hidan shouted in shock as he stood their in midair, until another red chakra arm came out and smashed into him, sending him tumbling into the air and into one of the obsidian pillars.

_**"Oh yes... this promises to be very entertaining indeed..."  
**_

"So you talk," Kakuzu stated dumbly. The fox was definitely in control now.

The boy-monster hybrid smiled toothily, the canines bared. _**"The boy's memory says you fought with Hashirama... and you lost. Just like I did so many years ago... and I feel those dark emotions inside you... just like me..."**_

**_"You and I aren't to different..."_**

Kakuzu didn't know how to respond. His transformation was starting to hurt, every part of his body burning. He felt like the roaring fire of his chakra was finally burning down to its last few embers. And this beast... what did it want?

**_"Always held back by our partners... you with that silver-haired fool, and I with this blonde puppet. But now you see how I am when I am alone, without his meddling..."_**

"Hidan is my friend," he stated boldly. "He may be an idiot, but this isn't only about power anymore, you circus freak of a fox."

Rumbling laughter like thunder, making him question what must be happening to the boy's throat and lungs. **_"You don't need him, hunter. You and I are hunters of men... you and I are not so different... both monsters, both despised by those around us, both always being held back... no, we are not so different at all..."_**

"I am Kakuzu, I am my own man. You won't twist me, fox!"

_**"And stubborn as I am as well..."**_

"Enough!" He did the hand signs, and his whole left arm, perhaps three feet long, suddenly lit aflame in a dark red and blue hue. **"Fire Style: Searing Cranium!"**

The arm came around, hot and ablaze and struck the bound jinchuuriki in the face and neck. The beast howled in pain, its red chakra bubbling even more as it tried to stem the attack-

"NOW, HIDAN!"

The scythe came swirling through the air, and this time it scored a direct blow, digging into the ribs of the beast and causing a torrent of blood to spill out. Hidan quickly followed, catching most of it on his arm and then catching his scythe in midair. He sailed over the beast and landed next to Kakuzu, grinning widely.

"You know, he is kinda right. You are stubborn a bit stubborn."

"And I'm kinda right. You are an idiot."

"Hey! I did it, didn't I?"

The laughter again. Kakuzu had a moment to look before suddenly an excuriating pain was running up his arm, and he retracted it quickly. He watched in disbelief as his whole arm disintegrated, leaving a gray stump where it met his shoulder joint.

Dust fell from the ceiling. Kakuzu got a good look at the jinchuuriki again. The flesh was starting to peel away, and beneath it was a red, shimmering... _something._ A third red tail was growing from , pulsating, and the eyes. They were losing their scarlet look and giving way to an endless, pure white finish.

It was no longer pure hatred in the eyes. It was an empty abyss of certain death.

"Hidan, do it now," he fumbled for words, subconsciously taking a step back. He looked over his shoulder. The bushy browed boy was taking the girl and his friend up the ladder, out of the chamber. "Things are gonna blow big, Hidan, do it now!"

"I know, I know!" The ritual triangle was complete, Hidan licked the blood off his arm. His flesh transcended to a midnight, with white markings printed along them. The ritual was almost complete, they just needed time for him to stab himself-

_**"I think I've had enough of you two. You made excellent opponents for my primary power, but now this game has ended."**_

An odd humming sound, emitting from those alien jaws. _That's... a lot of chakra. _"Hidan..."

"I KNOW!" The ritual spike came out. Hidan looked at it steadily for a moment, his expression unreadable. In his eyes, Kakuzu could see the familiar insane look of murder. But then Hidan looked at him, and the look faded. A smile crept on his face. The spike came down, pierced the skin.

Hidan lurched forward, clutching his self-inflicted wound. "Yeah... that still fucking hurts."

The monster howled louder than ever before, and this time they were both buffeted off their feet. The markings on Hidan faded, he reverted back to his normal skin color. He was breathing heavily, the wind knocked out of him and his wound paining him. However, he still wore that smile. "Got him."

_Yes, but how much did that to?_

A large cloud of dust obscured their vision, the fragile earthen ceiling having never been meant to handle such a battle. There was an eerie silence, broken only by their own labored breathing.

_This is more than I bargained for... than _we _bargained for. But it seems to have worked._

_CLANG. CLANG._

From within the dust cloud, the dark black and red chains suddenly slithered out. They had been broken in multiple points, the evidence of brute force tugging them apart. After a few moments, they dissolved away. The silence was broken by the sound of a hyper-sound wave. They type emitted when unusually large amounts of chakra, ordinarily impossible for a human to perform, was about to be released.

A moment before he knew what was about ho happen, without thinking, he grabbed Hidan by his neck and threw him behind one of the obsidian pillars. He did the hand signs as quickly as he could-

XXX

**Hidan**

There had been a conversation he had had with Deidara once, concerning the magnificence of Jahsinism versus that of the "explosive wonder of art." Deidara had claimed that while his religion had beauty in killing and dedication, _his _religion, for he was in turn so dedicated to his clay it could be considered nothing else, was greater due to the physical manifestation of power.

He had claimed that one Hidan saw the perfect explosion, he would finally understand the beauty of his art. Deidara's bombs were truly a sight to behold, yes, and he was self-absorbed in them, yes. His claim that his C-0 explosion was the ultimate bomb in the world was perhaps, at the time, believable.

From behind the obsidian pillar, he watched as the pillars closest to the jinchuuriki vaporized into particles. It was a blinding pulsation of power, ultimate energy released within a microsecond. Sound could not keep up with the speed of release, giving him the sensation he was watching a faulty tape. The roaring of the destruction of the chamber followed a second after the radius of the detonation had reached him. He was thrown into the air, high, high, ascending into heaven as the ceiling disintegrated. It was like he was a feather, and a great light was shining above...

_Is this... really it? All of this, to die? Well, I suppose after everything I've done, I should have expected it. I laughed at those who said karma was real and nature would have vengeance on me, but now I can believe it. Hell, I'm believing in a lot of new stuff today, aren't I? At least I could finally experience humanity one more time..._

_No, Kakuzu. He saved my life... again. What about him?_

He was drifting through the clouds, nothing around him. It was such a strange feeling, something he felt he should have been enjoying. But no, without Kakuzu, his first and only true companion...

A while later, he became aware he was still alive, on the ground facedown in the burnt grass, outside. The air was intoxicating, constricting his lungs. It was a miracle he was still alive, without his immortality, in the weakest he had ever been.

"Where..."

He got up, his eyes not making sense out of anything, his head aching. _Probably a concussion._

A great, monstrous growl came from a couple yards behind him. His attack had wounded it, nothing more. And the rage at being injured like that had given the Nine-Tails the strength to break free of the chains at last. Now there was nothing keeping it here. It would go off, probably decimate the Leaf Village as its strength increased bit by bit. He and Kakuzu had failed-

"Kakuzu...?"

His partner was some feet away, dead or unconscious he couldn't tell. Never had he seen Kakuzu beaten up like this. Never had he expected to see it, nor did he ever imagine he would ever feel such sentimental pain.

The growl again, closer. It could tell they were alive, and it was searching for them to finish the job.

_What would you do if you were real, Jashin? Would you save your last believer, or would you follow your own code and let him die? _The whole system of it, of killing the other cultists, of the senseless murder, it all seemed to strange to him now. They had been the code, and he had followed them obediently till the moment when he found something other than killing.

The earth crushed and crackled right next to him. _**"So weak..."**_

"Oh fuck off already. Just do it already."

_**"You, the immortal? Ready to die?"**_

Yes, those words were definitely a paradox, a dream. But now, it was apart of reality. He did not reply, but gazed into those blank, endless white eyes.

The claw lifted-

"Oh, so this is what all the commotion is about. Get a good look at them! Remember when they called _us _the ones were gonna die first? The mighty Zombie Combo, beaten into a pulp!"

The claw paused. The eyes turned away from his and to the two newcomers onto the field. A moment later, the beast went flying away as an enormous rippling blue shaft smashed into it's face, making it shriek and fly away. It landed a couple yards away, snarling and growling furiously.

_**"Which other foolish humans want to die..."**_

"I have to say, I've been looking forward to this since we let the brat slip through our fingers those three years back. But now we're saving our teammates, oh this is just rich!"

_Can't be..._

Someone was crouching by his side. "Give them some of Samehada's chakra, or we won't have any help. Don't be overconfident, this is still a tailed beast."

"Right, right. My bad."

Power was flowing through him again, his strength returning. He took in a gasp of air, his lungs clenching painfully. "You guys..."

"You can thank us later," Itachi Uchiha said in his cool, modulated voice, completely unfazed by everything going on around him. "The Leader heard about what you and Kakuzu had done, and sent us to take you back. It seems that he was more than correct in doing so."

"Yeah... you could say that."

Kisame was still laughing as he made his sword feed chakra into Hidan. "The Zombie Combo... ha! Never thought I'd see the day!"

"Yeah, yeah, give us a break we've been out here for days!"

"Seems your chakra gives you your attitude back to, doesn't it Little Jashy?"

Itachi cut off any further argument. "Quiet, the both of you. Kisame, give chakra to Kakuzu so he can get back on his feet to. Hidan, give me back up. We have limited time before Leaf ninja are drawn to us."

_Course he would take command._

"Alright, looks like we got one final show on our hands. Let's make it count!"


	13. Chapter 13- Jashin's Champion

XXX

**Hidan**

With a roaring screech, the transformed jinchuuriki lunged for them. Hidan took the initiative by swinging out with the scythe, catching it in the face. No blood spurted; the beast in this form had none to spill, only ebbs of chakra broke away from the pulsating red exterior. But before he could even admire his timing, a glowing hand shot out and smashed into his ribs, sending him flying away. He managed to land neatly on a tree branch, only to see the same fist still coming after him.

"Persistent little bastard!" he said jovially to himself. He jumped to another branch, aware that the entire tree he had just been on had been torn from its roots. It became a game of keep away, with the pressure on him to slip up and be caught.

**"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" **

That was Itachi trying to distract the beast. However, there was not even a growl of disturbance from the impacts of the flaming balls. _That exterior is protecting him, we need bigger jutsu to deal damage._

His thoughts were disturbed by the _whoosh _of one of the fists going right by his ear. He rolled to the left in the air, away from the trees altogether. The fist followed him, close enough to touch-

"Take my hand!" Kakuzu, back on his feet. Hidan took the elongated hand and it pulled him back like he was a fish on a line. The chakra hand switched paths to follow him-

_Riiiiiip. _Kisame's blade slashed down, making the beast howl again as the tip of it's extension came off. It quickly disappeared into Samehada as it devoured the chakra.

Hidan landed roughly next to Kakuzu. "Sure you're not tired, old man?"

"Quiet, we need to figure out a way to knock it out, or at least hurt it enough to give up."

The Nine-Tails had retreated some distance, studying them. Itachi and Kisame were off to the side, no doubt discussing tactics as well. The opening of the battle was a test of each other's strengths; now they would determine how to find the weakness.

"What are the weaknesses of a jinchuuriki again?"

The ground around the red beast broke as it suddenly diverted its power to its legs and shot forward. It bowled over Kisame in an instant while Itachi managed to jump past. It was heading straight for them.

"Uh, I don't think there are any- move!" Hidan pushed Kakuzu to the left and he flew right. The monster went sailing in between them, but its chakra tails still lanced out and struck him in the leg. He felt his flesh burn and sizzle, but he ignored the pain. In fact, it was rather quite easy to...

_Now why is that? _He landed awkwardly on his damaged leg, surveying the damage. Yes it was burnt, but the pain was negligible. A familiar sensation...

_That's right. I did the ritual against the monster. Even if it didn't kill it, blood was still offered to Jashin... or whatever source of power this comes from. Whatever the case, the requirements were met. My immortality is returning!_

And with it, that blinding desire to kill. No one could stop him, there was nothing holding him back. He was vaguely aware of Kisame and Kakuzu attacking the beast while Itachi jumped into the air and released a massive fireball. but his attention waned, and he found his gaze returning to the still visible smoke of the Hidden Leaf Village, where so many people would be ripe, unsuspecting of a third attack.

_No, those days must be done. I have to help Kakuzu and the others, they're priority now-_

_But the killing is so sweet-_

_He's my friend-_

_And they're your prey!_

"Hidan, wake up and go for its legs!" Kakuzu harsh tone broke him out of the trance. The jinchuuriki was bound heavily in wire from Itachi and the threads of Kakuzu, as well as being pinned down in the rear by Samehada. It was thrashing ceaselessly, furiously trying to break its bonds. And in the back... was that a fifth and _sixth_ tail emerging?

_Two new tails emerging? If it gets to that, we're in even deeper trouble. _He charged forward, dragging his now two-toothed scythe behind him through the ground. The jinchuuriki's outer shell may have been chakra, but beneath it there was still a boy who was able to be harmed. And if they could say, break his legs-

He jumped into the air, the scythe obscuring the Sun for a brief moment. "WHOOO HA HA! HOW DO YA LIKE ME NOW!"

The answer came as the sixth tail shot out and ran him through the chest.

XXX

**Kakuzu**

The three of them watched in shock as the fifth chakra tail shot out and blew away Hidan. A moment later, they were all blasted away from the beast, their wire and threads snapping easily as a tremendous new amount of chakra was released. The jinchuuriki was growing white; it took him a moment to realize that it was bones, fox bones. The skeleton of the Nine-Tails was emerging, as impossible as that was to believe. He had heard of chakra bones from a now extinct clan, the Kaguya he believed, but he doubted this was to the same effect.

_The monster is beyond anything even the Leader would expect, I imagine. _He glanced over at Itachi and Kisame, who had stood back in idle fascination.

"Well, this thing is really something," Kisame commented, his tone tinged with nervousness. "I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it. Hard to believe this was that little blonde fool from three years ago."

"Yes," Itachi replied. His eyes had gone scarlet, and Kakuzu knew he was analyzing the monster with those impressive Sharingan of his. "I'm not sure if the jinchuuriki has any weak points. It's best we all try to attack from four different angles at once and do as much damage as possible."

"Right... how do we get close enough to do that?" Kisame growled. "It just blasted Hidan away like nothing."

_Hidan! _he shot his gaze over to his fallen partner. Suddenly, it was crashing down on him what had just happened. It had just seemed to unbelievable for him to accept it as reality. It was like a bad dream he had expected to wake from in a few moments. But suddenly he saw Hidan on the ground with a gaping hole in his chest.

_He's never been wounded like this, with such a large shot. And without his immortality-_

"Kakuzu, don't-" Itachi warned.

He ran over anyways.

The ground quaked as the beast came flying at him, claws splayed and eyes narrowed. His anger was not far below the surface; the whole adventure had been taxing and unwanted. And now, this great monster was in his way.

His fist hardened into dark brown earth without the hand seal. The incoming red mass had no idea what hit it. One moment it was about to lash into its targets neck, the next it had been sent spinning painfully by a crushing blow to its face. A few glowing white specks of pure chakra flew out of its mouth like blood, and the monster howled in fury. However, it was unable to retaliate as the other two Akatsuki converged and engaged it.

He knelt next to his friend. "Hidan?"

"Hey..."

Hidan was stupid, but not stupid enough to buy a lie like this. "You've never been wounded this badly before."

"Yup..."

Words failed him. "You're not going to make it. Not like this."

"Maybe... can you see the ground through my stomach...?"

"Yeah."

"Cool..."

The crazy, idealistic, murderous former Jashinist was dying right in front of him, and he couldn't do anything. For all his power, all he knew was destruction, not healing. He didn't know what else to say or do, so he simply grabbed one of Hidan's hands and held it awkwardly.

_So... this is what it's like to lose someone precious. _It was a pain striking deeper than any blade.

"Hey... Kakuzu..."

"Yeah?"

"Don't do that, it's weird..."

"Right." So he sat there as his friend lay dying, while the other two Akatsuki fought the losing battle against the seemingly endless amount of power of the Nine-Tails.

"I didn't think you would stand by me like this..." Hidan said abruptly. "I always thought you'd just finish the job without me on whatever mission I would fall behind on..."

"Wait, you thought you'd die at some point?" Kakuzu asked. "But you're normally immortal-"

"I suppose in the back of mind, in my conscious, I had the suspicion," he said weakly. "I mean, my conscious already told me Jashin was a figment of my imagination... who's to say my immortality is one to?"

_So that's why there was the sudden loss of faith. The big loss of self-confidence, because in the end he was only listening to himself, not a higher power. And that's crippled him._

"Well, I had a good run... thanks for standing by me in the end..."

"Don't die."

"What?"

The threads came out, in a massive multitude. They filled in the bloody, dripping hole the monster had made in his partner, an empty slot as big as a melon. Who knew how many vital organs had been ripped apart, how much blood he had lost. But the desperation to not lose his partner clouded away scientific judgement. The threads filled in the gap until there was a writhing pile of gray instead of murky earth.

_It's just like sewing a limb back on, _he told himself. _No different, I can save him. _But the threads were staining red, the wound was to open-

A paler, human hand suddenly entered his field of vision. He looked up in surprise to see the pink-haired kunoichi, her hand beginning to emit a shimmering green hue. _Medical ninjutsu... _"But why?" he asked quietly. "We're your enemies, why would you help him?"

She bit her lip. "Because it's the right thing to do, to help someone in need. You two have a bond now, I can see... you proved me wrong."

His eyes widened but he made no reply.

"And because you have a bond... maybe you have a sense of honor to." She looked at him straight in the eye and the green hue faded. Hidan groaned as the sensation faded. He was slipping into unconsciousness. "It's a large bet I'm making...but you're my only hope to save Naruto." She seemed to be steeling herself for something. Her eyes were shiny green, full of hope and determination. "I'll heal your friend and you defeat the Nine-Tails in Naruto... but then you leave him here. Leave the Land of Fire..."

_She's got to be kidding... leave here empty handed? But if I say no, Hidan will probably die..._

She was watching him closely, and behind him he could hear the rampage of the Nine-Tails and the grunts of battle from Itachi and Kisame. They wouldn't hold out much longer before they resorted to having to kill the beast.

"Heal him," he said firmly. "And we'll leave the jinchuuriki for you. This one time."

"You swear?"

He had never made an honest vow. But her compassion for her friend, even for this other bond she did not belong to...

"Yes, I swear."

She smiled at him, then the green aura around her hands resumed. The pulsing blood thinned out, vanished. Hidan gave an uncomfortable groan here and there, but overall his face grew relaxed. The girl's face was determined but calm. She was confident in her skills, despite the seriousness of the wound.

"While I'm really enjoying this 'playtime,'" came Kisame's terse voice behind them. "Would you mind hurrying up the sobfest and help?"

"How much longer?" Kakuzu pressured. "If he grows a seventh tail we'll have to retreat."

Her forehead was beaded with sweat. "Just a little while longer. Go help them, when he's ready he'll be ready!"

He hated to leave them, but what choice did he have? "Fine, but hurry the hell up." He launched himself into the fray, immediately scoring a surprise attack on the beast, sending it stumbling some ways. He followed up by releasing the fire mask and sending a column of flame, suddenly lighting the whole forest alight and catching the jinchuuriki right in the middle of it.

"Kakuzu, go left!" Itachi warned. "He's coming through the middle."

"Got it-" He swerved left, his eyes following the chakra arm that had stretched right through the flame to get him-

He clasped his hands together. **"Earth Style: Terra Enclosure!" **The ground broke and lurched up on either side of the arm. The two rising mounds smashed together on the chakra arm before it could retract, holding it in place.

"Kisame!"

"Already on it!" The shark-like shinobi brought his blade down, and this time it completely cut through the chakra arm. The Nine-Tails shrieked in fury, and responded by wacking both of them with one if its tails. Before their very eyes, the limp chakra arm regrew into a new arm.

"We can't do enough damage like this," Kakuzu growled. He looked back at Hidan and Sakura. She was still applying her medical ninjutsu to him. _Can't think about that right now. _"The girl is healing Hidan, but we'll have to act without him." Itachi landed next to the three of them. His Akatsuki cloak was shredded down along his chest, behind it the skin was a puffy pink. _Even he isn't handling things to well. _

"We need to hit it with our most powerful attacks simultaneously," Itachi breathed, catching his breath. "If this fails, I'm going to hit it with the Tsukuyomi to destroy its mind."

_His Mangekyo Sharingan power to create an entire illusion. It may have to be our best bet._

"Then that's the plan," Kisame agreed. "Ready, Kakuzu?"

"Right."

**"You three are more irritable than Hashirama or Minato." **They paused, caught off guard by the fox speaking again. **"When will you understand that you are nothing compared to me? Even the one who wields the Sharingan over there is no match for me now... just die!"**

The air seemed to quiver. _It's doing something... something big. Gathering chakra, massive amounts like before. No, this time its bigger. _Blue and red atom-like particles were forming at the creature's mouth, floating around but slowly condensing. A high-pitched sound was filtering through the air. And behind the monster, a seventh red chakra tail was emerging-

"That's a..." Kisame breathed, actual alarm in his voice now. "We have to go, now!"

Itachi nodded once, then jumped to the right. Kisame went left, doing a complex variety of hands signs.

Leaving the middle for him, right where the chakra condensation was occurring.

_This could actually be it, _he thought calmly to himself. He did the release sign, and the fire mask and earth mask appeared on either side of himself. The masks opened, and he did the hand signs. This would certainly be his most powerful attack, especially when he added the lightning element on his own. _But if its attack detonates or goes off somehow, it's over. And the funny thing is, there's no regrets. I overcame the hatred and was able to prove them all wrong. This is the power of fighting for someone else, I guess._

**"_DIE!"_  
**

_"NOW!"_

**"Water Style: Great Shark Bullet Technique!"**

**"Amaterasu!"**

**"Earth Grudge Fear: Planetary Plasma Vortex!"**

An enormous water shark slammed into the left of the beast, digging into it slightly and throwing it violently into the air. Then a ball of black flame manifested on its side, setting the whole creature alight in a burning mass of writhling red chakra. Finally, his own attack, a mixture of earth, fire, and lightning chakra all condensed into a concentrated pink stream lanced out and hit the monster in the throat, sending it crashing through the walls of the church and out into the forest, where it struck an enormous solid tree.

The three of them regrouped, breathing heavily. They could see the jinchuuriki lying at the base of tree, still and burning from Itachi's attack.

"Did that... do it?" he said.

"There's no way anything could withstand all that," Kisame confirmed. "Let's gather it up-"

"Impossible," Itachi said, his red eyes blinking in surprise.

"What...? Oh."

**"That was quite the amount of chakra you all struck me with," **the Nine-Tails growled, it's deep, throaty voice not bothering to conceal it's new found respect for them. It's right side and face, where Kisame and Kakuzu's attacks had primarily struck, were not the writhing glowing red anymore. Instead, the former red chakra cloak of the stage one was showing, as well as the boy's actual flesh. A few shards of bones littered the ground as well, but otherwise there was no difference to the beast. They had hit it with everything they had, and in the end they had only managed to break away two little portions of its chakra armor.

**"You've failed," **the fox rumbled on. **"You consistently overlook the majestic power I posses, thinking your insignificant attacks can actually harm a being as great as I am. You should have fled when you had the chance-"**

"You talk wayyyyyyyyyy more than I do, demon! Let me help shut that mouth of yours! WHOOOOOOOOOO!"

_No way-_

**"Death Technique: Jashin's Champion Death Sealing!"**

The red scythe, glowing blue with all of Hidan's chakra concentrated onto the tip, slashed deep into the back of the jinchuuriki. The Nine-Tails shrieked in fury, but this time agony as well. The red chakra armor was shaking, bubbling furiously.

**"You little whelp-"  
**

Hidan stamped a foot down onto the head of the monster, smashing it's face into the earth. "You need a muzzle!"

Itachi's eye shot open, blood leaking out. The Amaterasu flames dissipated as he sealed them away. However, that was not the only thing fading. The red chakra was shrinking away, seeping back into the boy with the scythe's impalement points as the focal areas. The white eyes were fading, the flesh peeling away. The beast howled, but beneath the animistic fury, there was also the weak cry of a human.

With a grunt, Hidan pulled out the bloodied scythe, hefted it onto his shoulder. The tails receded completely, the red mass shrunk away into the bloody holes. All that was left was the boy, innocent and blonde once more.

"Well, I never expected that to happen," Kisame commented. "It would appear the Zombie Combo still has it in them, wouldn't you say, Itachi?"

"It would seem that way."

"Naruto..." The girl stumbled over to him, wrapped her arms around him. His chest was slowly rising and falling, and she placed her head on it and wept.

"Enough, girl, we're taking your friend now." Kisame smiled harshly. "Get out of the way."

Her face left the jinchuuriki's chest, and her eyes found Kakuzu's. _The vow._

Here was the moment. Kisame looked aggressive, Hidan unsure, and Itachi relatively calm. They had what they wanted, a defeated jinchuuriki, with no one left to stop them. But this girl, who had saved Hidan, who had placed her trust in Kakuzu and is new found honor, she had done what no one else had ever done.

The pain of battle had made him physically feel the mortality of humanity. She had made him feel it emotionally.

"The jonin and ANBU of Konohagakure caught us immediately after we subdued the jinchuuriki," he said flatly. "We fought them for a little before realizing we could not handle all of them and hope to get away with the jinchuuriki, so we fled under the cover of smoke bombs. The Nine-Tails capture will come at a later date when we are recovered." Yes, that story would satisfy the Leader, or at least lessen his anger.

"What are you talking about?" Kisame asked snidely. "What jonin, what ANBU?"

"We're not taking the jinchuuriki with us."

Kisame stepped forward menacingly, a malicious grin on his face. "Sorry, what? I didn't just risk my life to walk away empty handed, so come again?"

"Konoha won't give us any rest if we take the jinchuuriki, they'll chase us all the way back to the base if we do," Kakuzu stated, not moving away even though Kisame stood right before him. "It'll be best to capture the jinchuuriki at a later date."

"You got to be kidding me- Itachi, help me out here!"

The Uchiha prodigy closed his eyes. "He's right, Kisame." _Is it me, or does he sound almost... relieved? _"We can't take the jinchuuriki, not in our current state. Using the Amaterasu took a lot out of me, if we have to fight again then we would have trouble."

"Hidan?"

"I'm with Kakuzu." _Did he hear what I promised her? Or does he have a sense of gratitude towards her?_

The shark man threw up his hands in anger. "Fine, fine! We came out here for nothing then, other than to save these to! Let's just get out of here , then, before I cut up this girl to calm my nerves."

_Thank you, _she mouthed at Kakuzu as they took to the trees.

He nodded once, feeling he should say something, a word of thanks for Hidan, or even telling her what she had changed in him.

But change only went so far. "Until we meet again," he said gruffly. Then he was in the trees as well, returning home with friend in tow.


	14. Conclusion

XXX

**Hidan**

There was a gentle stillness as they watched the Leader's face, his eyes closed, his incorporeal body hovering just above the pond they had paused at. Reporting the news when they actually arrived wouldn't bode well for any of them.

"This is of little consequence," he said at last, eyes still closed. "The Nine-Tails must be sealed last regardless. Your failure to capture him is only a minor setback, in the end." The purple rimmed eyes, always so menacing, reappeared. "I suppose I should be thankful you all survived your fight with it. Tell me... was it's strength as magnificent as the stories said?"

Kakuzu looked over at him, shrugged. Hidan nodded his head. _Anything to make him happy, _he said through his nod.

His partner nodded back, turned to face the purple-eyed weirdo. "It's strength was indeed incredible," he said affably. "Had it reached seven tails, we would not have been able to defeat it. Next time, we will simply subdue it in human form, then return."

The Leader's head cocked to look over at Hidan, where Sarutobi's body was bent over the scythe. "And was the distraction this time worth it?"

Kakuzu looked back again, but not at Sarutobi like the Leader was. His eyes narrowed in a friendly way, and Hidan grinned back.

The mask was back on, hiding the smile that was probably behind it. The old bounty hunter turned back to the Leader. "I'd say it was worth it in more ways than one. However, we must take our leave if we want to catch the bounty hunting office before it closes. We will return tomorrow morning."

The Leader nodded. "Itachi and Kisame have already returned, they've confirmed everything you've said to me." The Leader looked off into the distance, at something they couldn't see. Maybe another person had entered the room, or maybe he was lost in whatever "dream" he had envisioned for the Akatsuki. "Perhaps when the time to capture the Nine-Tails arises again, it will be I who handles it, and we will have the dawn of the new world-"

"Right, right," Hidan injected impatiently. "We'll be off now, ta ta!" Kakuzu did the release sign, and the image clipped out, leaving them quite alone. Two men as different from each other as one could imagine, and a dead body in tow.

"Well, that's it then," Kakuzu said calmly. "End of the mission."

Hidan shook his head, chuckling to himself. "Who would've thought we'd end up like this? Hard to imagine just three days we were trying to kill everything we saw. And now..."

"There's no escaping the killing, not in this world, not with who we are and who we work for," Kakuzu cautioned, more to himself perhaps. "But... yes, the slaughtering is largely over."

"Do you think he'll actually do it? The Leader?"

"What?"

"Capture the Nine-Tails? There's just so much power in that kid..."

Kakuzu rolled his eyes, started walking in the direction of the hunting office. "As long as I never have to deal with another live jinchuuriki, I'll be happy. It'll be the Leader's problem then."

Shrug. The body jiggled slightly. "True, but this is our problem now. Let's get this over with."

"Right." He paused. "You think that Nara boy will turn up again, in the future? You did promise him that you would fight him again, but it's unlikely we'll find him again. There's no more need to return to Konoha."

"You say it like were not adults," Hidan scoffed. "I'll find the kid again and we'll see what happens... who will die in that final fight. Besides, I can't imagine the Leaf will let some tailed beast super weapon walk all over them in the end. They won't stand for the 'dawn of the new world' bullshit."

He noticed the odd phrase in that sentence. "'Who will die in that final fight.' What does that mean? You're not going to renew the immortality?"

Hidan shrugged uncomfortably. "Maybe... maybe not." He patted his stomach, where the skin was barely beginning to cover the gray threads Kakuzu had implanted. The girl had done quite a job in integrating them into his organ system, his body would be functioning normally within a few days. "I mean, the immortality is the ultimate representation of Jashin, isn't it? And now that I know he's not exactly real... it doesn't seem right to me."

"But if you want to restart Jashinism," Kakuzu thought aloud. "They'll need a strong leader. Then it won't seem so wrong, won't it?"

Hidan seemed to mull this over, and Kakuzu shook his head in wonder. _So much change. A near-death experience really changes you, doesn't it? Maybe Sasori was the same... maybe we all have some core of good in the end. _He clutched his chest through his new robes. _Maybe I do, too._

They trekked on, through the trail, through the forest. Occasionally, they passed a family going towards the village, or a batch of workers carrying heavy building materials. It seemed the Leaf already had their recovery underway. Many glanced at them oddly or in fear, no doubt either recognizing their robes or seeing the body of the dead jonin. However, none tried to stop them. And those who did not look at them in fear talked jovially, and he caught snitches of their conversations. Visiting family, seeing an old friend, a look at the famed Hokage Monument, tasting that small town ramen shop...

_The village attracts and brings them all together, _he decided at last. _None of the other shinobi villages have that power, to bring strangers or even enemies together into a pact. Perhaps the Leader should start to look her for the solution of peace instead..._

The office came into view after another hour. This time, Hidan did not wait outside, he followed him in with the body. The accounting officer looked at them with indifference, then suddenly seemed to recognize Kakuzu and snapped into attention. "Hunter Kakuzu... yes, yes, who do you have?"

"Asuma Sarutobi. And I don't just want the money, I would like to see the man who created the offer this time."

"A-another Guardian Shinobi? Yes, I-I'll have the man brought in. He was here to see Chiruku a fem minutes ago... I'll go see if he's still in. Step in here, please..."

It was a small conference room, the stereotypical setting with the long desk and chairs lined, with some sort of profit graph against the wall in the distance. Hidan awkwardly laid Asuma'a corpse on the table, then they both sat down, waiting.

"You're going to do it, then?"

"Yes. I know you'll want in, but I'd prefer not. This is something I'll take care of."

Hidan looked at him oddly, then smiled toothily. "Sure thing, boss."

XXX

**Hidan**

The door creaked open as he said the final word. Hidan found himself being irresistibly curious to whom the contractor was, and looked over. To his dismay, the man had his face hidden under a hood. He was accompanied by one warrior of a shinobi, his face scarred with the pain of many battles. A massive katana peered around his shoulder where it was attached.

Hood stopped at the other end of he conference table, apparently looking down at Sarutobi. "I was told you wanted to see me, Hunter," he said brashly. Hidan blinked in surprise. He had expected a deep, dark voice to come from the hood. Instead, it sounded ridiculously soft, weak, and highly lacking in intimidation. _Will wonders never cease?_

If Kakuzu was surprised, he did not show it. "Yes, in fact. You are the contractor for the surviving Guardian shinobi?"

The man laughed cheerfully. "Yes, yes. And this is Asuma Sarutobi... the last of the original squad."

"Why did you set up the contract to capture them?"

Hood turned to look at him. "Why do you care?" he asked suspiciously. "Hunters never ask questions, and my sources say you're one of the oldest in trade. Shouldn't you know the rules by now?"

"This is off the records," Kakuzu said softly. "I want to know, to saturate my private curiosity.

"There isn't much else to say," Hood said offhandedly, still relaxed. _He doesn't know that look in Kakuzu's eye like I do. _"They did me wrong in the past, a small coup against the daimyo that ended with them humiliating me. You know in the underworld you can't make a living for yourself once you've been shamed like that." The man's voice was starting to irritate Hidan. He was just like a child at the grown-ups table, trying to buy in to the big life early.

"So I set up the bounty on the Twelve, a big enough feat that it bought me back into the criminal high life." He turned, making to leave. "To be honest, I've sort of stopped caring about the whole lot of them. Nine of them were brought in and that made me happy, these last two you've delivered Hunter are of minor significance. But, as promised, here is your pay. Jabor?"

The warrior produced a suitcase from nowhere and set it on the table. He opened it with two small _clicks_, and suddenly there were stacks upon stacks of ryo, enough to satisfy a man a lifetime.

"You'll find all thirty-five million in there," Hood said in that irritable squeaky voice. He waved a hand in farewell. "Perhaps I'll call on you again-"

"Does it bother you?"

Hood paused. He turned in disbelief. "Excuse me?"

Kakuzu had not made any move to take the money. His eyes were fixated on Hood with mock curiosity. "Does it bother you?" he asked again.

The criminal lord shrugged uncomfortably. "Does what bother me, Hunter? Our business is done-"

"And this still isn't business. It's all off the record isn't it?"

"So what are you asking?"

"Does it bother you that you asked for the death of twelve innocent shinobi?"

Hidan looked over at the warrior. His face was nonplussed, observing the rally with only mildly interested eyes. If Hidan had to guess, it was the classic brains and brawn combination of Hood and the warrior. Everything was so stereotypical of the situation that it made him wonder how stupid the rest of the underworld had to be to let them rise to the "high life."

Hood laughed out loud. "Of course not! Hunter Kakuzu, you should know of all people that killing is just another part of the business! Who's risen to the top in the underworld without the assassination or slip of poison?"

"So you're telling me you have no conscience?"

Hood was shifting around in place. He was not a complete fool, he was reading Kakuzu's tone well enough. The same went for the warrior, who's hand had casually crept up the handle of his enormous katana. "What do you want from me, Hunter? More money, when this is already the biggest bounty on the market?"

"What I want is to know if you have any remorse for what you've made us do."

"R-remorse? You're mad, what line of questioning is this?"

The chair toppled backwards as Kakuzu stood up with force. With a small grunt, he heaved up the entire long table and swung it. The warrior had time to widen his eyes before the sleek black conference table had slammed into his gut, no doubt crushing half his organs. The momentum of the swing sent the man slamming into and then through the wall, then out of sight.

Hood toppled to the floor, shocked. However, his hood had finally fallen back. His face was just a rat, a small mustache and colored glasses the only additional feature. Hidan gave a laugh and stood up as well. _What a joke, no wonder he wears a hood. A face like that wouldn't have intimidated a child. _Another delightful thought entered his mind. _Maybe the New Jashinists can be crime-fighters of a sort! Stamping out assholes like Hood over here, making the world a bit better. I mean, there's already Akatsuki. What more evil do you need? Maybe the new generation can do something good as a balance... yeah, I think I'd like that._

Kakuzu approached the fallen don slowly. "Men like you are all over the world. I supposed I used to be one, or maybe I still am, just to a lesser degree. Swallowing up riches and doing whatever it takes to get even more power. Tell me, you're the brother of that old transportation tychoon Gato, right? The mustache really does the trick."

"You knew G-Gato?"

"You're Datto, then?"

"What do you want!"

Kakuzu held up his hand before Datto, and allowed the man to watch it harden. His eyes widened and a low moan escaped his lips.

"I want to do Sarutobi and his pupil a final favor."

XXX

**Kakuzu**

Later, when the sun had set and the blood had dried on his arm, they finally buried Sarutobi's body on a hill that overlooked the Village Hidden in the Leaves. He did most of the digging while Hidan found a large stone and carved the man's name into it.

They stood back to admire their handiwork. "I didn't imagine we would be burying him again," Hidan commented. "Especially when his killers are the one doing it. But I suppose it's a better fate than being left on the table for Datto to just ignore and forget."

"Now he can be remembered and see what he treasured the most," Kakuzu agreed. The dirt would settle in a few days, and then perhaps things would also settle down. Konoha would finally agree they had left the country and would focus on more pressing matters. They would all meet in combat again, but for now a few days of peace was needed.

"Well, we should probably return home now," Hidan said after a couple moments of looking down at the grave. "He's at rest again, and now we need some to."

"Right, let's get moving."

"Hey, Kakuzu..."

"What?"

"You know, maybe you're not such a bad guy as you make yourself out to be. I mean, you sewed my head back on, got me my headband. Now you're killing criminal lords and honoring dead shinobi. You're not so bad at all, you've got a soft side!"

_Do I? Maybe._

"Shut up, Hidan."

The smile slipped a little, and for a moment, it was almost the old days and they would slip back into that silence of unbearable partnership. The money-loving hunter and the fanatical Jashinist.

Then it returned. "Like I said Kakuzu. Crooked mending."

He nodded, relieved. "Crooked mending."

They left behind the grave and the past.


	15. Author's Note

**And that wraps up the end this story. I hope you guys enjoyed my take on these two. It seemed to me that these two always had such a great potential to be good friends, and so I did what I thought it would take to reach that friendship. I can never say this is what the majority would want from these two, but it sounds like most of you enjoyed it anways, so thanks to those who followed, favorited, and reviewed. In the end, it only builds inspiration to keep going and strengthens my overall writing capability.**

**If you guys ****_really _****like my style of writing and my take with alternate storylines for characters, go ahead and leave a review for who you think I should do next. If not, then stay tuned anyways for whatever I come up next.**

**Have a great summer, and thanks for reading!**


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